Report on University of Northern Iowa Students for Social Justice Troops out Now week of action
On Thursday, March 23, Students from the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls High School, Waterloo West High, and Hawkeye Community College joined Professors, UNI Faculty, Veterans, Alumni, and community members in taking a strong stand for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Thursdays event capped off a week of action organized by the UNI Students for Social Justice (UNI SSJ) in conjunction with the Campus Antiwar Network (CAN). CAN organized successful antiwar events at campuses across the nation surrounding the Third Anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.
The University of Northern Iowa Students for Social Justice successfully reinvigorated the anti-war movement at UNI. Approximately 150 People attended and listened to our speech and joined in our chanting at our rally which was held at 1:30pm outside the Maucker Union. After the rally many members of the crowd joined us for a march down University Avenue. Thursdays event was the largest antiwar demonstration held at UNI since the last walkout organized by the UNI SSJ just after the invasion of Iraq in March of 2003.
Lots of new contacts with dedicated antiwar students were made at Thursdays demonstration, many of whom are excited about the SSJ’s upcoming bus trip to a national march against the war on April 29, in NY, NY.
Students worked very hard to pull off the week of action at UNI which started with a die-in on Monday March 20th that was shut down by UNI public safety and resulted in three students being escorted outside the Union for attempting to and giving speeches about the week of action. Ashleigh Ford along with Sarah Piepenburg were escorted out of the Maucker Union just before they could read a statement to students at the Union just as participating members collapsed to the floor as a part of the die-in. Co-president of the UNI SSJ and CAN Coordinating Committee member Chris Schwartz then stood on top of a chair and read the statement out loud. Schwartz was pulled off the chair as he read the statement and lead the Union in a chant of “Stop This War!”, as he was escorted out of the student Union.
Student have been informed that they are not allowed to give speeches inside the Maucker Union or distribute material to patrons of the Union.
On Tuesday March 21, students took their message to UNI’s ROTC, pointing out that the ROTC programs obligation to the Military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is in direct violation of the Universities Policies and Procedures 13:02 “Anti Discrimination Policy” which calls for the equal opportunity and treatment for all at UNI despite their sexual orientation.
On Wednesday March 22, the UNI SSJ organized an all-day teach-in that included presentations from students, Shane Callahan, Alex Ludwig, and Chris Schwartz, professors Christopher Mullins, Kent Sandstrom, and Ronnie Roberts also gave presentations and Wednesdays teach-in.
Other actions during the week of action included the distribution of a a special “Troops out now” edition of The Legacy, UNI’s student run peace & justice newspaper.
Many students put in lots of overtime preparing for the Troops out Now week of action. New organizing methods were successfully employed including the use of the online university community facebook.com. The UNI SSJ will now move forward having greatly strengthened our already strong antiwar student base. We will continue to mobilize and provide venues fro all students against the Iraq War to stand an be counted.
Contact:
Chris Schwartz
Co-president of the UNI Students for Social Justice
Coordinating Committee member of the Campus Anti-War Network (CAN)
www.campusantiwar.net
President of Cedar Valley United for Peace & Justice
www.cedarvalleypeace.org
Publisher of The Legacy
Editor and Chief of College Not Combat