By Caterina Silva
Salt Lake City, UT –
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Since President Bush began his campaign for war, I've been watching TV, reading newspapers and talking to people. In the beginning I didn't understand why people who I talked with, were so different from the people that I saw on TV, or read about in the newspapers.
I received lots of e-mails from friends in Brazil asking me: how could Americans be supporting this war? My friends and family phoned me asking me to come back. They were afraid for my safety. They know me and they were afraid that my opinion against war could get me in trouble. Much of the outside world believes all Americans support this war.
At times, I felt alone in my views. But one day, I friend suggested I listen to public radio. I remembered that my son always told me to listen to radio to get accurate news. When the war started, I was at work. When I left my job, I turned on the radio to NPR because President Bush was speaking and I wanted something official. After his speech, I listened to the comments of the journalist and I felt at "home". The guy was so natural and was not brownosing talking about Bush. There was respect in his voice, but not brownosing. From that day on, I've been listen to the radio every day when I can, and I am rediscovering the diversity in American opinion.
People on public radio seem more real to me, than what I see on T.V. or read in the newspapers. They seem aware of the consequences of war - impacts on their daily lives. They understand that there are real costs to sending troops abroad - less money here for schools, police, and other programs.
On the radio, one day I can listen a correspondent talking about how Bush under-rated the Iraqi resistance. Another day there is a specialist telling us about the Arabic world and what the words justice and loyalty mean to them. I can hear people all over the country saying what they think, and why they think it, and how worried they are. I feel that they are like me, and their fears are like my fears. People are worried about the image Americans are projecting around the world.
I would like to tell the whole world that the American people are not invading Iraq. Some Americans are against this war, like the rest of the world and they are doing what they can to show their disappointment with their President's attitude.
I feel very lucky to be here at this moment to be a witness to the fact that many Americans, like me, are against this war.