Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

U. Montana students, locals protest war
By Sean Breslin
Montana Kaimin (U. Montana)
03/21/2006

(U-WIRE) MISSOULA, Mont. — Despite cold temperatures and stiff winds, hundreds of anti-war protesters gathered yesterday on the Oval to mark the third anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq.

The Imaginary Friends, a group loosely affiliated with Students for Peace and Justice, organized the rally to remind the Missoula community that there is an anti-war movement, said organizer Reed Perry.

Roughly 250 people — including University of Montana professors and students — attended the noon rally, and several people spoke about their feelings about the war.

"I'm so discouraged about everything," said creative writing professor Kate Gadbow. "I'm horrified that people are still supporting the war."

Several protesters carried hand-made signs denouncing the war and questioning the logic and costs behind it. A large banner depicted President Bush as a child playing with toy helicopters and tanks and read, "Your country called, George. It's time to come home."

UM President George Dennison, whose window faced the rally, said he respected the protesters' right to make their statements. He said both sides of the argument deserve to be heard.

"The university is a place where people need to feel free to express their opinions," Dennison said.

On the southeast end of the Oval, 579 wooden crosses marked one-quarter of the total American soldiers killed in Iraq, activist and UM student Maura Ganz said. She and her husband — a Vietnam veteran — spent all weekend making them, she said.

"They're part of the demonstration today to support the military and protest the regime," Ganz said.

Many people spoke about the current chaotic situation in Iraq. UM English professor Phil Fandozzi opposed the war in 2003 and thinks it has gone worse than he expected it to, he said. English professor Heather Bruce called the war an example of "imperialist terror on the part of the United States."

Protesters directly linked the current situation in Iraq to President Bush. Bruce wondered why Congress will not impeach Bush for faulty intelligence in the run-up to war, but impeached Clinton for lying about an extramarital affair. UM student Ross Miranti called on protesters to exercise their right to vote to change current policies.

"We have a duty to work as a democracy to shape our administration," Miranti said.

Phillip Reed, who served in the military during the 1990s, spoke about his friend who is currently serving in Iraq.

"Why is he over there? Because he doesn't have an answer, and his wife doesn't have an answer," Reed said.

UM graduate student Doc Stodden spoke against military recruitment and said the Army and the media deceive high school students in order to gain more recruits. Although he served in the military, he is now involved with counter-recruitment efforts to discourage people from joining the military, he said.

"There's so many things you lose when you join the military," Stodden said.

With temperatures at noon in the low 30s, many people worried about the turnout for the protest. Martin August, who helped plan the protest, admitted that the cold almost proved too much for him.

"I'm honestly considering walking inside," August said.

However, several students who addressed the crowd thanked them for braving the cold.

"Everyone here was afraid no one was going to show up," UM student Svein Newman said. "But I think it's meaningful that people came out to be heard."

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