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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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Students stage weekend encampment at state capitol to end the war
Thursday 17 May @ 12:53:40 |
 by KATRINA PLOTZ
On Friday, May 11, Youth Against War and Racism (YAWR) sponsored an “Encampment Against the War” on the lawn of the State Capitol. Approximately 150 high school students attended along with 50 adult workshop facilitators, peace marshals and chaperones.group
by DENNIS GEISINGER
About a dozen demonstrators showed up at the Minnesota office of U.S. Senator Norm Coleman yesterday to protest against last Thursday’s U.S Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) raid in Austin, Minn., and to oppose Coleman’s proposed amendment to congressional immigration legislation that would nullify the right of local communities to choose whether or not they want to join in the enforcement of federal immigration law.
YAWR is a national network of young activists that began in 2004 when three students at Bloomington Kennedy High School sought to counter the presence of military recruiters at their school. When the principal tried to prevent them from setting up an antiwar table in the cafeteria, they waged a successful campaign defending their free speech rights. When news of the victory spread, students began organizing YAWR chapters at dozens of schools across the Twin Cities, and as far away as Seattle and Boston.
The encampment began at 5 p.m. with a performance by the Two Toned Runts, a local ska band whose horn-driven melodies and political lyrics set the tone for the evening. Then Maret Banks, of St. Paul Central High School, addressed the heart of the matter. “So much energy and money is being wasted on a war that only benefits weapons manufacturers and oil companies,” she said. “When the ruling class chooses war, the working class suffers.” The crowd cheered in agreement.
The next speaker was Mike Orange, of Veterans for Peace, a national organization whose local chapter co-sponsored the event. As a U.S. marine, he fought in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970. Later he attended Kent State University and participated in the famous antiwar demonstration in which four students were shot and killed by the National Guard. He also marched with Vietnam Veterans Against the War and symbolically threw his military service medals onto the steps of the U.S. Capitol in 1971 to protest the war. After relaying these stories, he spoke of the price soldiers pay fighting wars that “inject them with poison.” He mentioned that two of his friends committed suicide after returning from Vietnam and that one third of Iraq War veterans suffer from mental health problems.
Next on the microphone was Jessie Seirs of Military Families Speak Out, another co-sponsor of the event. Her brother joined the military against his family’s advice and now regrets it. He is currently stationed in Ramadi, one of the most dangerous areas in Iraq. “I worry about him constantly,” Jessie said. “If Bush really supported the troops, he would bring them home.”
Next, poets from the Minnesota Spoken Word Association performed, along with members of the audience. Lora Fike, a student at Perpich Center Arts High School in Golden Valley, wrote a poem on the spot, which included the lines: “Put the unity back in community. End world power hunger.” Danez Smith, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, mesmerized the crowd with two spoken word performances, addressing the violence of the Iraq War and the homophobia that pervades our culture.
After a dinner provided by Food Not Bombs, the students broke into small groups and discussed organizing a major student walkout in the fall. Students then attended various workshops on conscientious objection, how to talk to your peers about the war, and how to start your own YAWR chapter. The rest of the evening included musical performances by the EZ Bleeders and Negative One, a game of Capture the Flag, a vigil to remember the victims of war and the showing of several political films.
Some students left early, but at least 75 camped out all night. The event provided them the opportunity to learn, to express themselves and to meet other student activists. “I had a great time,” said Kelsey Groenke, of Bloomington Jefferson. “The workshops were really informative.” Her friend Alex Uhrich added, “This shows that a lot of students aren’t apathetic. We really care about what’s going on and we’re doing all we can to end the war.”
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