I was in a local coffee shop the other day for a work meeting and as I was waiting for the rest of my party to arrive, a group of anti-war activists began to assemble at a group of tables nearby.

Let me be very clear from the start: I was opposed to the Iraq invasion from the start based on the dubious rationale we were given at the time. I think a very strong case could have been made for some precision action to remove a horrible dictator, guilty of countless human rights abuses. I did not and still do not support this mismanaged, sloppy quagmire into which the current administration has plunged us.

That said, these anti-war activists really need to start being more savvy if they don't want their messages to continue falling on deaf ears. None of the folks I observed at the coffee shop the other day were younger than 35 and several of them were in their 60's. I don't say this to be agist and I hope this doesn't come off as such. I merely make this point to say that they come from a very specific era with a very specific activist ethic.

I respectfully submit that perhaps these anti-war leaders could benefit from a freshening-up of their tactics. Their goals are certainly admirable, even if we arrive at similar conclusions in very different ways. It just pains me to see good people of faith and conviction work so hard for something so important and their tactics simply aren't effective in the new world order.

I posted briefly about this below (mostly with a link to a great analysis at MyDD). One of the biggest disappointment of the left over the past 25 years has been our struggle to change our tactics with the times.

I believe I can help many of these progressive causes step onto the 21st-century battlefield. I would gladly work with my coffee shop cohorts to give them some new skills and tools they can use to more effectively communicate their ideals.