For weeks now, signs boldly proclaiming "walk out when the war starts" could be found around Grounds; and sure enough, last Thursday, the day after the bombs started falling on Iraq, the anti-war protestors were out in force here at the University. While most of the protestors professed a mission of peace and respect, the unfortunate truth is that many events on Thursday were replete with violence, disrespect and plain old nonsense.
In the weeks leading up to the war on Iraq, numerous marches, protests and anti-war events were held at the University. One could be annoyed by such events yet not find them disrespectful. But when the war started in Iraq, the situation changed dramatically. The entire nature of Thursday's rally was disrespectful. As soldiers fought and soldiers died in Iraq, back home the rally showcased a speaker who compared those who support our military to Hitler and featured the dragging of a defaced American flag through the mud. The rally organizers shouldn't be too surprised that only 200 people showed up. The organizers referenced the "apathetic attitude prevalent at the University."
The alleged apathetic attitude here at the University did not cause a low turnout at the rally --- people have realized that at this stage, protesting the war is akin to turning your back on America's sons and daughters risking their lives half a world away. If the protestors are tired of the "apathetic attitude" of the University, then maybe they should go hold an anti-war rally at the entrance to Fort Bragg. I'm sure they would receive a much warmer reception down there.
Thursday's walkout was also disrespectful in another sense in that many of those in attendance neglected their obligations as students. The average credit load at the University, fifteen credits, means that less than ten percent of a week is spend in a classroom. Students owe all fifteen of those hours to the professors and TAs who come to work every day to teach and devote hours of time to their students. If you want to protest the war in Iraq, do it on your time, not your educators'.
The teachers of the University community were also disrespected in another, much more disturbing way on Thursday. A group of anti-war protestors led a loud march through New Cabell Hall after the rally Thursday. In my PLAP 354 class, the professor wasforced to stop class on multiple occasions to wait for the chanting mob to pass by. In other classes, protestors actually entered classrooms and challenged students to join them, over the polite requests of professors to leave. The crudeness and disrespect of the protest manifested itself in the nervous laughs and looks exchanged among students, silently asking each other, "Can you believe they are doing this?" The University should not have tolerated the Cabell Hall marchers' actions, as they violated at least two of the University's Standards of Conduct.
Anti-war protestors often cling to the "peaceful" nature of their activities as a way to justify and legitimize their actions. The truth is that often, when faced with a taste of their own medicine, some resort to violence as a way to solve their problems. On Thursday, a University student cleverly dressed himself as Saddam Hussein and attended the anti-war rally to "thank" those in attendance for their support. According to the student, less than 10 minutes after his arrival, one protestor had already attempted to assault him, and over the course of the next half hour the student was elbowed, jostled and struck with umbrellas in an effort to get him to leave. Apparently, anti-war protestors are allowed to monopolize the South Lawn for themselves, and anyone who doesn't share their point of view isn't welcome. Some of the people who paint the Bush administration as authoritarian physically assault a person who doesn't share their point of view; the irony is astounding.
The irony carries over into some of the anti-war message. Many anti-war protestors ignore the lunacy of their arguments: This country is tyrannical because we want to invade Iraq to liberate its people but somehow Hussein murdering thousands isn't tyrannical? Somehow removing Hussein and eliminating terrorist access to his weapons of mass destruction will increase the risk of terrorism against us? Once you get past the "Bush is Hitler" and "No Blood for Oil" nonsense, the anti-war arguments really don't have much substance to them. Next time you're arguing about the war with your anti-war friend, ask him how leaving Hussein in power will promote peace and justice in Iraq.
Unfortunately, for the foreseeable future there will always be war. Hence, there will always be anti-war protestors. But before you give them credit for their "patriotic dissent" take a hard look at what their message is and how they choose to convey that message here at the University.
(Joe Schilling's column appears Tuesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at jschilling@cavalierdaily.com)
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