SSU war protest draws 250 on campus

Press-Democrat 2/16/07

By Bob Norberg

A protest of the war in Iraq drew about 250 people at Sonoma State University on Thursday afternoon, many wearing green ribbons or shirts signifying their opposition.

The protest on the Rohnert Park campus was one of many around the nation Thursday that coincided with the debate in Congress over a nonbinding measure opposing escalation of troop levels in Iraq.

"There has never been a war or violent action that has not sown the seeds for the next war or violent action," Sandra Shand of Petaluma, a peace activist and Quaker, told the crowd.

Shand was one of several speakers who addressed the lunchtime rally held in front of Stevens Hall on the campus quad.

There had also been a call for a student boycott of classes, but there was no indication that many students avoided classes or that faculty canceled classes.

"I'm sure there are many students going to class," said protest organizer Camelia Gannon, 25, of Sebastopol. "But many students here are trying to work around their class schedule to come here."

The protest was held on a warm afternoon and drew a cross-section of students, teachers, staff and community peace activists. Some students drummed before the speeches began and several hula hoops were in continuous use.

Gannon told the crowd that a person didn't have to know someone in Iraq to be concerned about the war.

"We are all brothers and sisters," she said. "It's not a race, it is not an ethnicity, it is not a color - we are a huge family."

Peter Phillips, an associate professor of sociology, denounced both the election of President Bush and the Iraq war as illegal.

"We have been systematically torturing people over there since we've been there," Phillips said. "The torture, the lying, the spying on us ... there are plenty of reasons that this war is illegal."

Gannon said she was happy with the turnout at the campus, which historically has a reputation for student apathy.

"Seeing students who are about to walk by change their mind and walk back - that's what it's all about," she said.

"People want to call us the apathetic generation. I don't believe that is deserved. We have to be more creative in how we spread the word," Gannon said.

Even many students sitting on campus on the fringe of the demonstration, however, said they were opposed to the war.

"It seems like if you're paying for an education, you should go to class," said Caitlin Yates, 21, of St. Helena. "I'm not protesting the protest. I'm against the war, but I support the troops that are there."

Aditi Sarn, 21, of Santa Rosa said she was against the war, but she was leading discussions in her classes and had to attend.

"I'm proud of my peers for taking a stance on something," Sarn said.