Posted on 10/10/2002 3:28:31 PM PDT by Conagher
Numerous UMKC organizations have hosted discussions that speak out against a United States attack on Iraq.
An open forum with presenters from the Departments of Political Science and History brought the U.S.-Iraqi situation to light.
On a Tuesday afternoon the classroom was packed, with little standing room available. The speakers were hot with anger towards the situation.
The panel began by asking participants why the attack would be needed. Replies ranged from terrorism to oil and boiled down to Bush's political motives. Mention was made of whether the "regime change" was the responsibility of United States and if responses from other countries around the world would be enough to falter Bush's steps.
The professors brought up the point that we must attack now, or risk looking like wimps.
Another problem is that an attack on Iraq would further anti-American sentiment and cause possibly more terrorist attacks against U.S. embassies, if not cities in our own nation.
By the end of the teach-in, the professors brought up the fact that our congresspeople and senators will have a major role in deciding if there will be attacks on Iraq. Rather than feel hopeless about the impending war, students presented an alliance against the war.
Numerous student organizations have allied together this week to form the first-known anti-war alliance to speak out against the impending war on Iraq, Allied Students of UMKC (ASUMKC).
At a meeting Thursday night, the group planned for a rally on the Breezeway planned for Wednesday, Oct. 9th. The rally will go from noon until 7 p.m. and will include academic scholars of UMKC, musical guests and students speaking out against furthering the situation in Iraq, according to Habeel Gazi, facilitator of ASUMKC.
"The purpose of the alliance is to coordinate activities between all UMKC student organizations," said Gazi. "Whatever each organization is doing, the other organizations will help them in any way we can."
ASUMKC has been formed specifically to ask for no attacks or "regime restructuring" of Iraq but has plans for future alliance work. One of the main goals of the alliance is to "unite students on common issues, pursue them together and educate as many students as possible to get rid of apathy," said Gazi. The alliance has chosen Iraq as their current cause because "we believe innocent people will die and enough people have already." He also said that taxpayer's money amounting to $200 billion dollars that will fund a war not justified by many.
Along the same line of the protest, on Wednesday students are asked to sign a petition that states that UMKC students, faculty and staff do not agree with military action in the Gulf.
The petition calls for the Student Government Association (SGA) to "draft and pass a resolution opposing unilateral United States military action."
"We feel an attack on Iraq will lead to more innocent civilian deaths, cause further chaos in the Middle East, violate international laws and harm United States interests. Such a war would lead to further hatred towards the United States and destabilize the Middle East beyond repair," the statement continued.
The petition also mentions the Patriot Act as an item the SGA should stand up against in order "to protect our civil and constitutional rights."
Gazi wanted students to know that these issues should be important to all students so we are not recruited to fight in a war that we really don't believe in and to risk our lives for a cause we don't like.
ASUMKC currently confirms that it is against the war. Future subjects many include other issues the group feels strongly about, which would possibly include drugs, war and the IMF World Bank.
Liz Townsend contributed to this article.
... Another problem is that an attack on Iraq would further anti-American sentiment and cause possibly more terrorist attacks against U.S. embassies, if not cities in our own nation ...Um, OK., but isn't this why terrorists commit acts of terror? To impede us from pursuing our interests? So would we not be in effect guaranteeing further terrorism by emending our goals and policies in such a way as to reward terrorism? What we want to do is precisely what they don't want us to do.
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