Port 80

I strongly suspect that the Center for Social Concern has underestimated what they have walked into with the “Week of Student Action Against the War.” The College Republicans held a “Support the Troops” rally on campus today from 3 to 5. Additionally, some individual members of that organization, as well as other individuals on campus are planning on making a show of support for Coalition troops at the “Rally for Peace” on Friday, which is stated to be “open to students of all political opinions.” I may also be stopping by the protest that some faculty and students are planning for this upcoming Monday. Frankly, I would like to know exactly what major some of these individuals have - maintaining sleep and my GPA and attending all of these protests is a fairly difficult task to pull off. (Of course, that’s when I remember that the sponsor of these protests, the CSC, has staff paid
with my tuition .)

In a related development not directly tied to protests, a number of individuals on campus are forming a group with no political affiliation named Students Supporting America. My personal view is that this is almost an anti-CSC: An at least nominally nonpartisan group supporting military action in Iraq. For those who are interested, the first meeting is on April 8th at 8:00 pm in Kennedy Union room 311. Stop by and check it out.

In yet another related development, I ran into the lead singer of the band Breakaway, Gabe Moorman, at the “Support the Troops” rally today. You may recall that Breakaway was scheduled to play at the “Play for Peace” event on Thursday night. However, the band has made the decision to drop the gig (and I am replacing my earlier plans of a boycott of the band with plans to see their next show). As the posters that the band has been distributing across campus put it:

Breakaway is no longer playing for the “Play for Peace” concert.

They were falsely informed about the event.

They support our troops in Iraq.

Whoops. The CSC should probably make sure to clear the purpose of a concert with the bands that are going to be playing at the concert. I hope that “The Melting Room” enjoys their new solo appearance at the KU Pub on Thursday night. (I am still planning on boycotting the concert and the sole remaining band.)

I don’t know if this is simply a local swing of opinion on the UD campus or a national trend, but the Center for Social Concern appears to have swung at the bee’s nest one too many times. Preaching about unjust working conditions is one thing, using student tuition to support protests on a hotly contested moral issue is another, and putting those protests on-campus and right in the faces of those who disagree is another still. The CSC may be realizing exactly how much they’ve riled up the beehive. If so, they’re only about half a week of protests too late to stop what’s coming.