These are just a few of the many headlines on antiwar.com and The American Conservative. These headlines reflect a consistently critical and antiwar perspective, emphasizing human consequences, political hypocrisy, and institutional indifference to war and violence. Both sites use direct, human-centered language such as "kill" and "displaced," which contrasts with the more indirect, passive verbiage utilized by mainstream media. These differences in framing highlight not only stylistic choices but also a divide in how war is understood and reported. If these different perspectives bring important outlooks to light, why aren't these views highlighted more prominently in mainstream media?
Antiwar.com
Antiwar.com takes a more libertarian and non-interventionist view. Its core belief is that war is never justified and does not serve the public good. It strongly opposes any military intervention, whether in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, or Asia. Further, Antiwar.com focuses on the shortcomings of both of the US's political parties in sustaining war both internally and abroad.
For example, Antiwar.com has a column titled "War at Home," which highlights the actions of US political figures like President Donald Trump and democratic senator Dick Durbin. The section also contains articles about internal struggles within the country, such as the large group of international students being stripped of their legal status.
Antiwar.com also has a mix of sources. Some of the articles on its website are personally written by the writers and editors who work with Antiwar.com. Other articles, however, are links to works written by other publications, such as Associated Press News and The New York Times.
This blend of commentary and curated content gives Antiwar.com both an independent voice and a connection to mainstream journalism. However, its writing reframes certain events with an emphasis on morality and libertarian values such as independence and freedom.
The American Conservative
On the other hand, The American Conservative approaches war from a traditionalist and nationalist perspective on war. Like Antiwar.com, The American Conservative is largely opposed to war, but for different reasons.
The American Conservative rejects war because it believes that America should always come first. America should be focused on itself and its internal problems instead of being concerned about external struggles involving other countries. It takes after the values and opinions that Washington expressed in his 1796 Farewell Address: avoid foreign entanglements, avoid political factions, and avoid excessive debt. For The American Conservative, war not only distracts from internal challenges but poses a dangerous threat to the ideals and foundations set forth by our founders.
Connection to Mainstream Media
Despite their ideological differences, Antiwar.com and The American Conservative share a common frustration: the near-total exclusion of anti-war voices from mainstream media. In major news outlets, war is regularly shared as a strategic, necessary evil, and even noble. Major outlets often play down war with passive language such as "collateral damage" and "operation" and rarely feature voices that question the necessity and morality of war. Whether it's Antiwar.com's libertarian critique or The American Conservative's nationalist warning, these perspectives challenge powerful interests and voices, making them easy to ignore. However, if these smaller outlets are sharing views, ideas, and information that is not seen elsewhere, maybe the silence of bigger media sources says much more than we think.
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