--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't say I'm surprised: the grassroots…" description: "\"I can't say I'm surprised: the grassroots antiwar movement keeps turning out to be MoveOn/A.N.S.W.E.R. astroturf.\" — Glenn Reynolds" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/glenn-reynolds-16238_antiwar_i-can-t-say-i-m-surprised-the-grassroots_1519232.png" --- # I can't say I'm surprised: the grassroots antiwar movement… ![“I can't say I'm surprised: the grassroots antiwar movement keeps turning out to be MoveOn/A.N.S.W.E.R. astroturf.” quote by Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/glenn-reynolds-16238_antiwar_i-can-t-say-i-m-surprised-the-grassroots_1519232.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/glenn-reynolds-16238_antiwar_i-can-t-say-i-m-surprised-the-grassroots_1519232.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/glenn-reynolds-16238_antiwar_i-can-t-say-i-m-surprised-the-grassroots_1519232.png) > “I can't say I'm surprised: the grassroots antiwar movement keeps turning out to be MoveOn/A.N.S.W.E.R. astroturf.” [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grassroots anti‑war movements often become co‑opted by organized groups, losing authentic dissent. **In simple terms:** Activism can be manipulated by larger entities. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant about movement origins. Themes politics activism authenticity Mood skeptical analytical Type critical observational When to use this quote - campaign planning - community organizing - media literacy - policy advocacy Key Concepts social movements propaganda Questions to Reflect On - How can you verify a movement’s independence? - What signs indicate genuine grassroots effort? A Different Perspective Not all grassroots groups are compromised. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Antiwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antiwar/) [Grassroots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grassroots/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Well, we think the broadcasts did have some effect, because we see the antiwar movement in the U.S. building up, growing and so we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanoi-hannah/well-we-think-the-broadcasts-did-have-some-effect-because-we-see-the/) [Hanoi Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanoi-hannah/) > [The truth is that the antiwar movement was powered by the working class. The students were the ones that got the media and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/the-truth-is-that-the-antiwar-movement-was-powered-by-the-working/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [The responsibility for the risks we posed to others in some of our most extreme actions in those underground years never leaves my thoughts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/the-responsibility-for-the-risks-we-posed-to-others-in-some-of-our/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [ The \[Vietnam\] war's gone on for three years. And we'd thought we'd ended it because we'd done exactly what we were told and what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/the-vietnam-war-s-gone-on-for-three-years-and-we-d-thought-we-d-ended/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [Cindy Sheehan is a clown. There is no real antiwar movement. No serious politician, with anything to do with anything, would show his face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/cindy-sheehan-is-a-clown-there-is-no-real-antiwar-movement-no-serious/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [In the 1960s, there was a point, 1968, '69, when there was a very strong antiwar movement against the war in Vietnam. But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-1960s-there-was-a-point-1968-69-when-there-was-a-very-strong/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Like everyone else, I was at least peripherally involved in the antiwar movement. You woke up every morning feeling tormented about what was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/like-everyone-else-i-was-at-least-peripherally-involved-in-the/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [“The volunteers merely dropped in for a summer, then went home to question America. Some would spearhead the events that defined the 1960s—the Berkeley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-watson/the-volunteers-merely-dropped-in-for-a-summer-then-went-home-to/) [Bruce Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-watson/) > [“The antiwar movement is a wild orgasm of anarchists sweeping across the country like a prairie fire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon-2/the-antiwar-movement-is-a-wild-orgasm-of-anarchists-sweeping-across/) [Richard M Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon-2/) > [The conflict is not between the people and the antiwar movement, but between the people and the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/the-conflict-is-not-between-the-people-and-the-antiwar-movement-but/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [The uproar of the late '60s - the antiwar movement, black riots, angry women. It was a wonderful time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-uproar-of-the-late-60s-the-antiwar-movement-black-riots-angry/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [“What I saw in Washington that October were a lot of Americans who were genuinely dismayed by what their country was doing in Vietnam;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/what-i-saw-in-washington-that-october-were-a-lot-of-americans-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [My parents met when they were 16 and bonded over the antiwar movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/my-parents-met-when-they-were-16-and-bonded-over-the-antiwar-movement/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [We want to create, never mind the leaders or the bishops or chief rabbis or imams, or Popes. We want to create a grassroots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/we-want-to-create-never-mind-the-leaders-or-the-bishops-or-chief/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Music and the arts feed our souls, but a decent wage puts food on the table. Musicians, fans of music, and grassroots political organizations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/music-and-the-arts-feed-our-souls-but-a-decent-wage-puts-food-on-the/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) ## More by Glenn Reynolds > [I'd actually love to think that I could trust Kerry on national security. But the only way I could do that, at this point,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/i-d-actually-love-to-think-that-i-could-trust-kerry-on-national/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [A 'well regulated militia' was thus one that was well-trained and equipped, not one that was 'well-regulated' in the modern sense of being subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/a-well-regulated-militia-was-thus-one-that-was-well-trained-and/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [One reason that a lot of people see me as cheerful and optimistic is that my expectations are really rather low.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/one-reason-that-a-lot-of-people-see-me-as-cheerful-and-optimistic-is/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [But remember: All this talk of tolerance and diversity is basically just a way for one group of white people to pursue power over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/but-remember-all-this-talk-of-tolerance-and-diversity-is-basically/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [The purpose of the right to bear arms is twofold; to allow individuals to protect themselves and their families, and to ensure a body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/the-purpose-of-the-right-to-bear-arms-is-twofold-to-allow-individuals/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [Personally, I'd be delighted to live in a country where happily married gay couples had closets full of assault weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/personally-i-d-be-delighted-to-live-in-a-country-where-happily/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [The nannyism is partly to distract from the corruption — and partly just another opportunity to leverage it. A good general rule is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/the-nannyism-is-partly-to-distract-from-the-corruption-and-partly/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [When people say things like "don't let this moment pass without acting on gun control," what they're really saying is our arguments are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/when-people-say-things-like-don-t-let-this-moment-pass-without-acting/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [That's the thing about conspiracy theories: in a comforting sort of way, they give rise to the feeling that someone, somewhere, knows what's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/that-s-the-thing-about-conspiracy-theories-in-a-comforting-sort-of/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [Let's be honest: Kerry has no idea what it is to be even a middle-class white in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/let-s-be-honest-kerry-has-no-idea-what-it-is-to-be-even-a-middle/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [Government, we are sometimes told, is just another word for things we choose to do together. Like a lot of things politicians say, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/government-we-are-sometimes-told-is-just-another-word-for-things-we/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [Political Wire is one of the absolute must-read sites in the blogosphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/political-wire-is-one-of-the-absolute-must-read-sites-in-the/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [The proverbial thirteenth chime of the clock - is not only wrong itself, but calls into question everything that came before it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/the-proverbial-thirteenth-chime-of-the-clock-is-not-only-wrong-itself/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [Hmm. Petty? Yes. Ineffectual? Yes. Infuriating and off-putting? Yes. Counterproductive? Yes. It's got to be a product of the French Foreign Ministry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/hmm-petty-yes-ineffectual-yes-infuriating-and-off-putting-yes/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [As my father-in-law once said, when they talk about taxes it's always for teachers, firemen, and police - but when they spend your taxes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/as-my-father-in-law-once-said-when-they-talk-about-taxes-it-s-always/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) [Explore all 40 Glenn Reynolds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) ## More Antiwar quotes > [In the struggle of good against evil, it's always the people who get killed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/in-the-struggle-of-good-against-evil-it-s-always-the-people-who-get/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [“... it would be better for our country and the world in general, if at least the few people who were capable of thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-would-be-better-for-our-country-and-the-world-in-general-if-at/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [In the eyes of empire builders men are not men but instruments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/in-the-eyes-of-empire-builders-men-are-not-men-but-instruments/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-statesmen-will-invent-cheap-lies-putting-the-blame-upon-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [My first wish is to see this plague of mankind banished from the earth, and the sons and daughters of this world employed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/my-first-wish-is-to-see-this-plague-of-mankind-banished-from-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The practice of violence, like all action, changes the world, but the most probable change is a more violent world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/the-practice-of-violence-like-all-action-changes-the-world-but-the/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [One reason the United States finds itself at the edge of a foreign policy disaster is its underinformed citizenry, a key weakness in democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-halper/one-reason-the-united-states-finds-itself-at-the-edge-of-a-foreign/) Stefan Halper > [The worst evils which mankind has ever had to endure were inflicted by bad governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-worst-evils-which-mankind-has-ever-had-to-endure-were-inflicted/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [You cannot be on one hand dedicated to peace and on the other dedicated to violence. Those two things are irreconcilable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/you-cannot-be-on-one-hand-dedicated-to-peace-and-on-the-other/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/free-nations-don-t-develop-weapons-of-mass-destruction/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [...Uncalled-for aggression arouses the hatred of the civilian population...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/uncalled-for-aggression-arouses-the-hatred-of-the-civilian-population/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [Studies by Medical Corps psychiatrists of combat fatigue cases... found that fear of killing, rather than fear of being killed, was the most common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-lyman-atwood-marshall/studies-by-medical-corps-psychiatrists-of-combat-fatigue-cases-found/) [Samuel Lyman Atwood Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-lyman-atwood-marshall/) > [I believe that the entire effort of modern society should be concentrated on the endeavor to outlaw war as a method of the solution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/i-believe-that-the-entire-effort-of-modern-society-should-be/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [In war, as it is waged now, with the enormous losses on both sides, both sides will lose. It is a form of mutual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/in-war-as-it-is-waged-now-with-the-enormous-losses-on-both-sides-both/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [Our reluctance for conflict should not be misjudged as a failure of will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/our-reluctance-for-conflict-should-not-be-misjudged-as-a-failure-of/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 409 Antiwar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antiwar/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can't say I'm surprised: the grassroots antiwar movement keeps turning out to be MoveOn/A.N.S.W.E.R. astroturf.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Glenn Reynolds" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/i-can-t-say-i-m-surprised-the-grassroots-antiwar-movement-keeps/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Antiwar" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/i-can-t-say-i-m-surprised-the-grassroots-antiwar-movement-keeps/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/glenn-reynolds-16238_antiwar_i-can-t-say-i-m-surprised-the-grassroots_1519232.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/glenn-reynolds-16238_antiwar_i-can-t-say-i-m-surprised-the-grassroots_1519232.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/glenn-reynolds-16238_antiwar_i-can-t-say-i-m-surprised-the-grassroots_1519232.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can't say I'm surprised: the grassroots antiwar movement keeps turning out to be MoveOn/A.N.S.W.E.R…” — Glenn Reynolds", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Glenn Reynolds", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can't say I'm surprised: the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/i-can-t-say-i-m-surprised-the-grassroots-antiwar-movement-keeps/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/i-can-t-say-i-m-surprised-the-grassroots-antiwar-movement-keeps/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```