I was watching the most fascinating documentary on Patrick Henry College on Britain's Channel 4 called 'God's Army'. This is a college that recruits bright-eyed homeschooled kids and teaches them all about getting more 'Jesus' (that would be the American-flag totting, gay-marriage hating, patriot one, not the pacifist) into the US political system. There's a whole lot I could say about the show and the school, but one thing really stuck out at me: conservatism and youth don't go together very well. That's the role of old people in a society. Young people push for reform and old people push back and we have balance. It's just the nature of the beast. But when you have a bunch of clean-cut, sweater vest wearing Republicans talking about family values? It's doesn't quite fit.
Contrast this with the other documentary I saw, 'The US vs. John Lennon'. Now there, my friends is a youth movement. Doing drugs, singing songs, burning draft cards and shouting, '1-2-3-4, we don't want your fucking war!'
Also, for anyone who sees Iraq and doesn't see Vietnam, I gotta say, I don't doubt you, I doubt your eyes.