Since the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom one week ago, the anti-war protest scene in Madison has appeared to be nearly whisper-quiet, particularly where students are concerned. This is in stark contrast to the situation prior to spring break, when those expressing anti-war sentiments through marches, rallies and demonstrations lingered in the spotlight for many months.
Blame the recent inactivity on spring break and the time needed to plan and organize anti-war efforts, say local organizers. Starting today with nonviolent civil disobedience in east Madison, anti-war protests return. Organizers are expecting to gain or at least maintain support for their cause now that America is engaged in a full-blown attack on Iraq.
The Madison chapter of Iraq Pledge of Resistance, a coalition of more than 55 groups across the United States, will symbolically block the gate of east Madison's Truax Field today during anti-war activities there beginning at 4:30 p.m. In doing so, they will risk arrest.
\We so strongly oppose any of the military action that is going on right now in Iraq and the Middle East,"" said Jolanda Sallmann, a UW-Madison graduate student and one of the principal organizers of the civil disobedience. ""In the tradition of civil disobedience we are hoping to put our bodies there and say 'this war is not in our name.'""
Twenty-three protesters from the Iraq Pledge of Resistance were arrested at the group's previous non-violent civil disobedience last week, according to Sallmann.
""We will break laws if we have to in order to get the message out,"" said Justin Mog, a UW-Madison graduate student who plans to participate in the civil disobedience. ""We are breaking smaller laws in the hopes of stopping our government from breaking much more important laws.""
Some have criticized anti-war efforts as ""unpatriotic,"" citing that U.S. troops need American support. However, anti-war protest organizers adamantly refute this viewpoint.
""I think there is nothing more patriotic, especially in the U.S., than voicing your opinion and preventing ... action. We are working on a peaceful solution to international conflict, rather than creating more chaos and more violence,"" Mog said.
On Thursday Stop the War!, the student/youth caucus of the Madison Area Peace Coalition, will hold a march at 12 p.m. on Library Mall.
""People are feeling depressed and outraged. They feel like they want to do something,"" said Josh Healey, a UW-Madison freshman who is co-organizing Thursday's march.
The march will go through the UW-Madison campus though it will not be a march to the Capitol, according to Healey.
Tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. in 3650 Humanities, Ben Granby, who spent time in Iraq, will present ""The Other Iraq: Multimedia Stories of Iraqi
Civilians Facing War."" On Sunday at 12:00 p.m. there will be another non-violent civilian disobedience at Truax field organized by Iraq Pledge of Resistance.
