University of Houston Anti-War Protest Didn't Go As Planned (My Title)

University of Houston Daily Cougar ^ | 21 March 2003 | Matt Dulin

[PetroniDE]

Tension between "pro-U.S." and anti-war groups at "teach-in"

Veritable battle lines were drawn in front of the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library on Thursday as emotional debates on the war issue ensued at a "teach-in" organized by UH faculty and staff.

Flash points of heated arguments popped, but eventually fizzled without great incident, when student demonstrators calling themselves not necessarily pro-war, but "pro-U.S.A.," congregated outside the anti-war gathering of professors, UH staff and students, who started organizing at 10 a.m. Thursday.

Sarah Brantly, a public relations senior, said she walked by the large rally, listened to what they were saying and wanted to voice her own opinion.

"I went down to the U.C. and bought a posterboard," Brantly said. "I borrowed a marker and made a sign."

Her sign read, "I support our country."

Eventually, Cara Anderson, a media production junior who made her own sign in support of the troops, joined her. The pair grew to a handful of like-minded individuals who started hollering.

When they were noticed by members of the rally, a large convoy of demonstrators, led by Cheyenne Bsaies, a creative writing junior, split from the main group, confronted the "pro-U.S.A." group and offered the microphone.

Eddie Barrera, a political science senior, took the microphone and spoke briefly, saying that the troops now in Iraq needed their support.

Bob Buzzanco, a UH history professor and one of the architects of the rally, intervened shortly afterward. Buzzanco took the microphone and said, "They can share their views, fine, but they have their ABC, NBC and CNN, they can do it there," alluding to criticism of the media for not covering the anti-war perspective.

From that point on, the rally continued, but the crowd had split into two distinct groups -- one dedicated to the "teach-in," the other participating in debates.

An estimated crowd of 300 students were in attendance, though the number ebbed and flowed throughout the day, eventually waning when the rally broke up in the early afternoon.

The "teach-in" was largely intended to promote the anti-war point of view through informative lectures, literature readings and personal stories. Several speakers noted the lack of "true" facts about the Iraq crisis being presented to the public.

Rick Brennan, who graduated from UH in 1999 and now teaches in HISD, addressed the culpability of the mass media in the current standoff with Iraq.

"The peace movement is a global movement, yet it is largely unreported in the mass media," Brennan said, citing commonly accepted facts such as the concept of no-fly zones and Iraqís rejecting inspectors in 1998 as "falsifications used to justify aggression."

Brennan called the gathering before him a "rebirth of democracy."

Brennan blamed these grave errors on a "corporate-driven" mass media. He urged the audience to do their own research and "discover the truth about this war."

Buzzanco read selections of Allen Ginsberg, an author and poet of the 1950s, known dissident during the McCarthy era and activist against nuclear weapons.

Onlookers stayed distant from the large crowds and many of them were skeptical of the rallyís intent.

"It's too late. They're wasting their time; this protest doesnít really matter," Cody Johnson, a freshman business major, said.

"It just seems too political. It's more so anti-Bush than it is anti-war," Johnson said.

Johnson said he saw some anti-war demonstrators get very angry and "kinda violent" when they were approached by supporters of the war.

Brantly later said that two "pro-U.S.A." students in uniform were spit on by angry demonstrators.

"They were just angry at them, spitting, cussing, all of that," Brantly said.

One member of the "teach-in" audience received a citation for mooning several "pro-U.S.A." demonstrators, but no other major incidents were reported.

[SpookBrat]

It's so funny. Last night I picked my husband up from the airport, I was telling him about my new picture on the way home. LOL Thanks for sharing. :)

[ppaul]

It's good to heckle these morons.
You can pick up a good bullhorn with an external microphone at Radio Shack.
Stand across the street and let 'em have it.
If they are too hostile, stick your bullhorn out the sunroof of your car, drive around the block a few times, and just keep getting the message out.

"Shame on you.
You support dictatorship.
You caused the war by making Saddam think the world was not united against him.
You placed our troops in harms way.
The blood of our troops is on your hands."

repeat

Lay the blame for this war squarely on whom it belongs - on Saddam and his supporters.
A lot of times, other good Americans will see and hear you and join in.
Especially construction workers.
The cops won't bother you - they wish they could go after the unbathed lowlifes too.
Be bold.
Be brave.
FReep 'em!

[carlo3b]

Rick Brennan blamed these grave errors on a "corporate-driven" mass media. He urged the audience to do their own research and "discover the truth about this war."

This concerned citizen is a bit more than an innocent Houston high school history teacher, comrade Rick Brennan is in fact an officer and event organizer for the left wing, and part of a sleeper cell of THE DEMOCRAT PARTY.

[weegee]

"The peace movement is a global movement, yet it is largely unreported in the mass media," Brennan said

I wonder how much acid Mr Brennan had to drop to get that impression from the media?

He's probably a loyal KPFT 90.1FM supporter who thinks that station is the only truth in the community (of commrades).

[tiki]

Why because the students were actually thinking for themselves and engaging in real debate, no doubt. He hadn't suceeded in making them into "mind-numbed robots"

[tiki]

I surfed to CNN which was covering an "anti-war" rally in NY. These people aren't anti-war, they are just pro-misery. Unfortunately, I know a lot of people like them.

[Allegra]

I surfed to CNN which was covering an "anti-war" rally in NY. These people aren't anti-war, they are just pro-misery. Unfortunately, I know a lot of people like them.

Every time I see The Great Unwashed, either on TV or in person as we are FReeping them, I am struck by the sour, angry expressions these people all seem to have in common. Must be a Commie thang.

[Barney Gumble]

I like that chant!

Houston has been very weak for protests. I have seen or heard about a few of them, but none of them have had over 100 people...usually more like 30 people.