How difficult is it today to speak your mind in a nation divided by war?

I argued with a friend to day about. the stupid war with Iraq. he was really talking about Vietnam and defending the honor of the soldiers he fought with. He kept telling me that 'they' hide behind women and children. I yelled "don't we have women and children fighting? whats a twenty year old soldier with no combat experience?" my freind said that 'they killed more of us than 'we' did of them. We werent really talking about the war.

I went to an art show.
Why do people lack the ability to change?