We Are Dissenters

I began 2020 by flying to Chicago for the Dissenters Founders Training and it was one of the best experiences of my life. Dissenters is a youth led antiwar, anti-militarism movement that's goal is to reclaim our resources from the war industry and reinvest those resources into our communities. We believe in a better world, a world without war. The only ones benefiting from wars are elites, war profiteers, and politicians that are gaining an abundance of money from the harmful evil of war. If we can end war, we can redistribute the trillions that goes into the war industry to necessary things that citizens across the world would benefit from. We can pay for healthcare, climate change initiatives, gun reform, higher minimum wages, education, and many more policies that would only make our society flourish. We will reclaim the resources that belong to us, we will reinvest in life and safety everywhere, and we will repair relationships with the Earth and people all over the world.

Everyone at the training was passionate about this movement because of various perspectives and backgrounds and I believe that that is what makes us stronger. We recognize each others struggles, support them every step of the way, and begin broadening our reasons as to why we are fighting for a world with no war or anything that resembles war. We don't focus on our battles only and we don't put others down. It helps us be vulnerable, passionate, and create a loving community.

When I first applied for an interview to go to this training I had strong beliefs when it came to this issue, but between my application and my interview my passion had grown ten times over. The week before my interview was Veterans day and I remember talking to my dad about how I was angry. We shouldn't just think of Veterans one day a year and just make a nice little Facebook post about how thankful we are for them. It wasn't fair how the government was treating Veterans like trash after they gave there whole lives to fight for someone else's agenda. My dad said it was okay and that the government was doing the best they could do, but were they really? This was the first Veteran's day in years that my dad didn't get upset when I thanked him for his service. Previously his PTSD from sending young soldier's into war instead of going to war himself during the end of his service had caused him to reject any thanks for his time in the military. This was also the first conversation in a long time that I had with my dad that was almost normal. Since his body couldn't process oxygen anymore, because of a injury he sustained in the military, he had a hard time having conversations because he would often get confused or angry. Never in my life did I think that that would be the last time that I spoke to my dad.

That was a Monday. Later that week, on Thursday, my step mom had to drive my dad to the state over to go see his VA doctor, because if Veterans want healthcare they have to drive to wherever the hospitals are, even if they are far away or are unable to get there. My step mom raised concern at the doctors about how my dad was doing, he didn't seem to be getting any better. They assured her it was all in his head and carelessly refused to look more into anything. He passed away that Saturday.

My dad served in the Air Force for 20 years before being thrown away like trash. He was medically discharged as a 100% disabled Veteran and the government and the VA treated him awfully. They refused to provide thorough care for the pain that they inflicted on him like they do for so many Veterans. The lack of treatment and funding of Veterans who fight unnecessary wars is morbid and inhumane. I do not want any more people, especially lower class and minority's since those are the main targets of recruitment, to experience the pain that war and lack of care and funding for Veterans inflicts and that I had to witness my dad suffer through.

In a lot of ways I am privileged that this was my experience and what brought me into the anti-militarism movement. We all come into movements differently and I have learned so much from the people that I have had the opportunities to work with and learn from.

War harms the lower class, minorities, and innocent citizens overseas. It tears communities apart and destroys families and the life of many. It harms the environment and creates distrust, hate, and fear in communities all around the world. There is no good in war, only evil.

A question I have gotten since telling people I was going to this training was asking if this meant I didn't respect those that serve for the military. I honestly have the utmost respect for people that are willing to protect others. But most citizens who are being recruited are being fed a fake narrative of the reality of serving in the military. A lot of my friends felt as if they had no choice, but to join the military. They could not afford college or healthcare. Recruiters plague low-income and minority schools. They hear about all of these glamorous benefits and travel opportunities, but mental health, jobs, and the reality of life after service is kept out of the discussion. Militarism is ingrained into our life's. We are bred to be competitors, but we don't need to be. We can live in a world of peace. Soldiers are also fed false agendas of what certain fights are actually for. They are pumped up on the adrenaline of fighting and protecting and are oblivious to the reality of war just being an engine of profit for elites. Soldiers are told they protect and serve, but who are they protecting and serving? They get paid little, being long distances from family and being emotionally and physically drained, while elites get the luxury of sitting in big offices far away from the fighting, driving fancy cars and hiding behind business room doors, avoiding the front lines and "action" of these wars they create.

There is so many more aspects of how militarism effects people. It doesn't look like wars only. Over policing in communities, police brutality, colonization, the prison industry, immigration centers, and many other things encompass militarism. All of those stories are even more important than mine, but it is important to share everyone's story. This is mine and how I have come to this movement.

I wrote the beginning of this at the beginning of 2020 and I am adding to it a year later. I have learned so much from so many people. I have also learned that in order to prosper and work positively in this world, I need to focus on what I am doing and continue to learn from these amazing and powerful individuals. Everyone's story is important. Everyone is actively working towards the same end goal and I am so lucky that I get to work with people who continuously inspire me.

At the Dissenters training I learned so much about the war industry and some amazing tactics to combat against militarism. I have the resources and support to build locally and spread a message of peace across my home state. I am forever grateful for this opportunity and the people I have met. At first I was nervous at what to expect. But my mind was blown by the radical love and vulnerability of this group. Everyone was so kind, so compassionate, so dedicated, and so ready to win. I felt so welcomed and so loved at every moment of this training and I can't wait to continue to work and build an amazing community of young people along side of these amazing human beings.

wearedissenters.org