From the Arizona Daily Wildcat:
Sitting In On Democracy: Students protest Bush speech
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By Stephanie Hall and Devin Walker
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Wednesday, February 1, 2006
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UA
students were nearly arrested yesterday after staging a sit-in in the
ROTC building to protest the war in Iraq, the military recruitment of
young people and President Bush’s State of the Union address.
Students,
alumni and members of The World Can’t Wait left their anti-war rally on
the UA Mall to march to the ROTC building and sit on the lobby floor
with their arms locked.
Gabriel
Matthew Schivone, an undeclared freshmen and member of The World Can’t
Wait, watched as police surrounded the building, declaring it a “crime
scene.” He said he was worried his friends would be arrested.
“I understand why they’re doing it,” he said. “But I’m personally just worried about a few friends.”
University
of Arizona Police Department spokesman Sgt. Eugene Mejia said the
police response was necessary in case the group became violent.
“We have to anticipate the worst-case scenario,” he said. “Until we can assess the situation, we don’t know.”
No arrests were made as the protesters peacefully walked out the front of the building after about a half hour.
Mejia said the group most likely chose the ROTC building because it houses military training.
Ensign
Adam Wiseman, who was in the building when the protesters arrived, said
they didn’t bother him once they stopped chanting.
“They have every right to protest,” Wiseman said. “I, as a man in a uniform, will fight to protect that right.”
The
group used the rally to get people more involved in the movement to
protest the Bush administration and the State of the Union address,
said Greg Knehans, a spokesperson for The World Can’t Wait.
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As
the group reached the Alumni Plaza at noon, the chanting grew louder
before anti-Bush speeches were given by UA students, high school
students and members of the UA Chapter of Refuse and Resist.
“What
we’re trying to do is take the next step in building a movement that
transforms a political train in this country,” Knehans said. “We are
opposing the whole regime and what they are doing.”
UA students involved in the rally held signs and banners criticizing Bush while listening to the protest speeches.
“A
lot of people feel like they’re the only ones (against Bush) or that
there are not that many people,” said Alyssa Hoyt, a studio arts
freshman. “It’s nice for all of us to come together and talk about
what’s going on.”
Hoyt
said the sit-in was a spontaneous result of the inspiring rally, and
that the protest called for an end to the war and questioned why
students join the ROTC.
“The young tend to enlist because they’ll pay for your education. We want to tell them there are other ways,” Hoyt said.
The
group wants to reach the people who are against Bush but are reluctant
to join an organization whose goal is seemingly unattainable, Hoyt
said.
David
Marshall, who came from the rally and watched the sit-in from the
street, said he has nothing against anyone in ROTC, but he supported
the protest as a symbol “against our militaristic society.”
Although the majority of participants agreed with the rally, many bystanders did not see eye to eye with the organization.
“What
are they trying to accomplish?” said Nicholas Hart, an anthropology
sophomore and self-described conservative. “They have every right to do
this, but if he deserved to be impeached then they’d impeach him. I
just don’t see their point of view.”
During the speech, several students yelled at the speakers and booed the group’s rally.
“All
students have a right to protest issues,” said Veda Kowalski, associate
dean of students. “I applaud them for having passion, but not at the
expense of disrupting a university.”
After
the rally, the group packed up and headed to Skrappy’s, 201 E.
Broadway, to design banners for a World Can’t Wait caravan that drove
around Tucson.
Refuse
and Resist is affiliated with The World Can’t Wait, a nationwide
organization that opposes the current White House administration.
-Claire C. Laurence contributed to this report