Friday, Feb. 27, 1998
Students rally against U.S. sanctions
Opposers of a possible attack with Iraq held a demonstration yesterday to protest U.S. actions.
By DARYL LANGCollegian Staff Writer
The front steps of Schwab Auditorium became the site of an information
battle yesterday as students debated the possibility of another
war with Iraq.
Students and Youth Against Racism, Young Socialists and a group of unaffiliated students organized the demonstration to protest the nature of the United States' involvement in Iraq before the recent diplomatic agreement between Iraq and the United Nations.
Anti-war demonstrators gathered in front of University Gates yesterday and moved to the steps of Schwab Auditorium. They are dissatisfied with how the U.S. government is handling the Iraq situation.(Collegian Photo/Andrea Elizabeth Kohler - click for full size image)
"We find it pretty relevant because there still are these
sanctions against Iraq," said Stephens (senior-sociology).
"We're not for (Iraq's President Saddam) Hussein, but we're
not for killing innocent people either."
Speaker John Black, with Students and Youth Against Racism, said
American diplomats were trying to smash the dreams of the Arab
people and strengthen the American oil industry.
"Saddam is probably not the most democratic leader, but that's
not the issue," Black said.
Opposing the views of the demonstration, members of the Penn State
University Veterans Organization stood near the steps and made
comments to refute the speakers.
"I realize these people's ideals and I do respect them, but
there's a lot to this story that they don't understand,"
said Jason Potts (junior-kinesology), president of PSUVO, who
said he was stationed in the Middle East during the Persian Gulf
War.
Anti-war demonstrators stood near the Schwab Auditorium yesterday. (Collegian Photo/Andrea Elizabeth Kohler - click for full size image)
The groups that planned the Iraq demonstration had hoped to draw
the attention of the marijuana protest spectators, said Martin
Austermuhle (freshman-international business and political science),
a member of the Young Socialists.
Even students who disagreed with the stance of the demonstrators
acknowledged their right to speak their opinions.
"The whole reason they can do this is that people risk their
lives," Chris Niedziocha (sophomore-political science) said
as he walked by the demonstration. He added that the U.S. military
has fought to protect freedoms for more than 200 years. "These
people just make a mockery of it."
On several occasions, shouting matches broke out between the demonstrators
and the audience.
"Saddam Hussein has tons of anthrax," shouted Jason Wynnycky (senior-accounting), USG town senator and PSUVO member, when a speaker said the United State's efforts were hurting Iraqi children. "It was chemical weapons that killed all the children."
