Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Washington U. tombstone display protests cost of war in Iraq
By David Song
The Student Life (Washington U.)
10/12/2007

(U-WIRE) ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Friday, rows of tombstones will stand on the Danforth campus as part of a display by the Washington University Peace Coalition, in an effort to raise awareness of the cost of the on-going war in Iraq.

Although the display has been erected in previous years, this is the first year in which the display will be present at other Saint Louis universities, including the University of Missouri at Saint Louis (UMSL), Saint Louis University (SLU) and the nearby Fontbonne University.

While some students may see the tombstone display as a partisan statement, junior and Peace Coalition member Julia Baskin asserted that the displays were intended to raise awareness and stimulate dialogue.

"The point of the tombstones is to emphasize the negative impact of the war," said Baskin. "It's not about politics, it's not about whom you support. It's about the fact that people have died. It's going to throw out some controversy but that's good because people need to talk about it."

The first year after the beginning of the War in Iraq, a similar display was created in Saint Louis by the Instead of War Coalition.

"In 2005, the tombstones were already made from the last year's display, so when I got here, myself and a couple of other students decided to do the display on campus," said Adam Shriver, a graduate student at the University and a member of the Coalition.

While the war remains a controversial topic, Shriver stated that the general response from individuals on the University has been favorable to the displays.

"We did it again last year, and we had a really positive reception from students and the faculty," he said. "The first year we did it, a woman from SLU heard about it and she got off work early to find the tombstone for her son. This is a controversial thing, but a lot of people have been thankful for raising awareness."

Because of the positive response to the displays, the following year they were placed again on the Washington University campus and on the campuses of other schools.

While the tombstone display coincides with the first day of Parents Weekend, the display was not intended to specifically be on display during that time.

Senior Brett Burman, a member of the Peace Coalition, noted that the displays are nonetheless aimed at as large an audience as possible.

"It would be a good time because we want as many people as possible to see it, and it's not just for Wash. U. students, though they are the primary target," said Burman. "The displays in general are really for anyone in the community at large to come and see it-it's a statement of the cost of war. Our idea is to get as many people as possible to come and see it, since we're not trying to convince [only] Wash. U. students of the costs of war."

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