Antiwar has been has always been a strong political opinion. So why is it we hardly ever come across this perspective? Many consider it an honor to fight and die for our country and the freedoms it gives us.
The topic of war is already a guarded subject in many countries. In America, we are not regularly informed about what specific military force is being used in our international affairs. The topic seems to be glossed over in popular news outlets and we never get the full picture of what our government is doing when fighting these battles. However, it's well known that the government has been responsible for covering up war crimes and other unfavorable behavior that goes on in our military. Bombings, torture, sexual assault, among other things, aren't uncommon when it comes to the dealings of the United States armed forces. I believe that if these issues were made more public and known that we would have more antiwar voices and supporters. But what about the people who are already taking a stand?
Although our country recognizes our rights to freedom of speech, therefore allowing the critique of our government, it does make quite the effort to suppress these opinions and any information that may further influence antiwar ideas. One of the most memorable examples of this is the Kent State shootings in 1970. Hundreds of university students had gathered in protest against the United State's involvement in the Vietnam War. The protest on May 4th was initially peaceful before the Ohio National Guard showed up and ordered the participants to disperse. What followed was a massacre that resulted in four student's deaths and nine others injured.
Overall, our government has shown throughout history and today that they do not want us citizens involved in military issues. They are not transparent about their dealings, they attempt to cover up their wrong doings from the public, and use lethal force on innocent protestors. It's not surprising that antiwar voices are so obscure, either from forcible censorship or fear of retaliation.
https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/kent-state-shooting
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