Newsweek Discovers Veterans Have Opinions, Sometimes Opposing
Newsweek breathlessly covers 'Vets Say No,' a collective of veterans protesting Donald Trump back in 2018. While the article highlights some veterans' criticisms of Trump's past comments on certain military families, it conveniently overlooks the broader, bipartisan history of veterans' dissent across political spectrums. For decades, veterans have protested wars, presidents, and policies—a stark
reminder that military service doesn't mandate political fealty to any administration, regardless of who is in office. Yet, the framing here suggests a novelty, a singular outrage. It makes one wonder: when veterans protested the Iraq War, were they given the same headline treatment, or did the narrative shift to highlight 'support for our troops,' effectively silencing dissent? (Spoiler: it was
the latter). The media's selective amplification of veteran voices often aligns perfectly with prevailing political winds, rather than a genuine interest in the diverse, often radical, perspectives within the veteran community. Newsweek found some veterans it liked; others, presumably, didn’t fit the template.