War was part of an ongoing dialogue at two weekend events in front of Old Main.

A Veterans Day ceremony focused on supporting patriotism Friday while viewpoints conflicted at a pro-war rally yesterday.

Starting at noon Friday, the Veterans Day ceremony featured four speakers. Two Vietnam veterans and a student spoke on patriotism and compared the war in Afghanistan with the Vietnam War. State Sen. Jake Corman R-Centre was present to honor veterans.

After opening with a Bible passage, highly decorated Vietnam veteran Jim Rhoda said the Vietnam War was fought for "everyone's freedom," and was lost because of domestic opposition rather than military defeat. "The American people had embraced a spirit of shame for our patriotism," Rhoda said.

Speaking in her father's absence, Shannon McCombie (freshman-liberal arts) read the speech of Capt. Ryan J. McCombie, a man introduced as a "warrior and statesman," who said that America's war in Afghanistan "will be won or lost by the will of its citizens.

"Vietnam was a war of choice. This is a war of necessity," McCombie said.

McCombie's speech applauded the exercise of First Amendment rights by protesters of the war but questioned their motives. McCombie said some war protesters used their position as a means for putting themselves "into the limelight."

Comparing Osama bin Laden to Attila the Hun and Joseph Stalin, McCombie's speech concluded by saying, "Let loose the dogs of war."

Vietnam veteran Rob Coughlin presented Operation Remember, a project designed to commemorate the more than 1,000 Maryland soldiers killed in Vietnam by providing pictures and short biographies for each.

"If you see a veteran, stop, take time to talk with him, thank him," Coughlin said.

Following the Friday ceremony was a 2 p.m. rally yesterday supporting the current war against terrorism. Student groups such as the Penn State College Republicans, the Objectivist Club and the Penn State Young Americans for Freedom sponsored the rally, which was organized by Bob Hyneman (junior-journalism).

The rally opened with a performance from Poker Face, a political rock group. Scheduled speeches and an open mic followed the band.

The band, which is "anti-current establishment, but not anti-government," supported the soldiers involved in the war, but criticized the politics behind it.

"I support our troops," said lead singer Paul Topete. "I don't support the 'prostiticians.' "

Referring again to politicians as "prostiticians" during a speech given at the rally's close, Topete said, "They live in a world where there is no God."

Topete went on to criticize multiculturalism.

"If you come to this country, learn the language," Topete said.

Topete called American citizens "slaves on the global plantation," and said the war in Afghanistan is being fought for the profit of politicians and the Military Industrial Complex.

He declined to answer what decision he would make if he had to decide whether to enter war.

Students present both supported and opposed the war.

Chairman of Young Americans for Freedom Justin Wade (senior-mechanical engineering) said he supports the war.

"If you can blame America for spreading freedom, you shouldn't be living," he said.

Martin Austermuhle (senior-international politics) on the other hand, promoted peace.

"We generally think that the war's going to create more problems than it's going to solve," Austermuhle said on behalf of the student group Peace Works. "The best way to solve terrorism is by addressing things that cause it, such as poverty and inequality."

Jacob Kosoff (junior-economics) said he supported the war but thought the United States should address terrorism in areas outside of Afghanistan.

"The terrorists come from many countries, and I'm afraid that we're focusing on Afghanistan as our only enemy," he said. "We're just focusing on Afghanistan when the Afghani people aren't terrorists."

Wade agreed. "I don't want to picture it as a war against Afghanistan. It's a war against almost a ghost."

Observing the speakers, Kosoff added, "From the speeches, they're making it look like the peace side is anti-veteran, which isn't true."