 "Photo: JOSIE CLAREY, THE VOLANTE, 2010")
As part of their protest to military operations in foreign countries, a student organization displayed signs in front of the veteran flag memorial behind Old Main Tuesday afternoon.
Students Against the State, a university anarchy group that started last November, displayed upside-down American flags in the ground at the memorial. Their two posters read, “U.S Forces have killed more civilians than all ‘terrorist’ actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, now multiply that by 157, that’s how many civilians have been killed because of U.S. Action (over 850,000).”
The group’s mission is to educate and advocate the ideals of anarchy.
SATS officer and freshman Patrick Linsenmeyer said the organization brought their own flags to add to the memorial as part of their protest.
Linsenmeyer, who made and set up the posters, said he did not speak to anyone from the administration about displaying the posters and was using his student right to be on campus and protest however he wants.
“We saw the display for veterans and thought the Iraqi civilians should have a say too,” Linsenmeyer said. “Obviously both groups aren’t very cohesive. As an anarchist, I am against military occupations in other countries.”
Leighann Dunn, a military veteran, said the action was disrespectful to those that have passed away overseas and to the Student Government Association since they co-sponsored the display.
“As a veteran, it’s disheartening and hurts to know some kids don’t have respect for those that have died for their freedom,” said Dunn, who helped put the memorial together. “Regardless of whether you believe in the war or not, it doesn’t matter.”
SGA President Tim Carr said SGA is in the process of investigating what took place, why it happened and hopes to prevent something like this from happening again. He said it’s upsetting to see something like this happen.
“It’s misguided in my opinion to vandalize flags that represent people who died so the people vandalizing the flags can have the rights to make their opinions heard,” Carr said.
Dunn said with new student organizations being approved by SGA and emerging on campus, she is seeing that they don’t know how to conduct themselves
professionally.
“There needs to be some more guidelines,” Dunn said.
Dunn said an e-mail would have worked well, like with last year’s altercation with the Secular Student Alliance about the Christian-based portion of the veteran display.
“This group took it way to far and beyond what was necessary,” Dunn said. “I agree in freedom of speech but don’t disrespect those individuals that have fought for your freedom.”
Reach reporter TJ Jerke at Tyler.Jerke@usd.edu.
41 comments
You do realize that you are doing precisely the things you accuse others of doing to you, right? Honestly, you have got to start thinking before you act.
And I will always do my duty
No matter what the price
I've counted up the cost
I know the sacrifice
Oh and I don't wanna die for you
But if dying's asked of me
I'll bear that cross with honor
Cause Freedom don't come FreeI'm an American soldier
An American
Beside my brothers and my sisters
I will proudly take a stand
When liberty's in jeopardy
I'll always do what's right
I'm out here on the front line
sleep in peace tonight
American soldier
I'm an American soldier
"When I was a child I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things." -unk
If you need another lesson on responsibility, ask a soldier. They've lived it.
Let's take a look at your last comment. " I also do not appreciate it that you continue to belittle me and offer no advice." Throughout the comments section I noticed that your organization, without justification or proof, has called the Soldiers everything from terrorists to war criminals. "finally, it is absolutely unfair to blame me for what some deranged individuals did ", once again, blaming Soldiers for the actions of deranged individuals IS unfair. I sincerely hope that you are beginning to see the hypocrisy of your statements.
You are an idiot, do you not recognize that your protest was political and the memorial was not??? Hmmm I think you should re-evaluate. And what postiveness has come about your actions? Nothing you brought dishonor to this University and negativness. You still don't understand that at a University you have to have permission to do these protests. So do the right thing and the adult thing and get permission. I think that is the biggest issue everyone has. You acted out against a peaceful memorial and defamed public property. The people who removed your signs had every right to do so off the display. You are barking up the wrong tree little boy and I suggest you appologize for what you did to the memorial. As stated in the article, you could have had your own protest away from the memorial if you had permission. Furthermore, your club advisor now has seen damage to his house because of what you did and created. You should appologize to him for acting out as a member of the club, because regardless you wore the club shirt and put the club logo on the posters. Therefor, you are to blame! I hope you make your parents proud!
Anonymous that called me an idiot: it seems we have similar views but different methods. I would gladly work with you if you have productive suggestions. Otherwise I will have to stand by what I did, and continue to do it in the future. I am greatly disturbed by the level of complacency in the school community, and hope only that my demonstrations might positively change this in the future. I am aware that it might be harmful, but it does not seem worth the risk to do nothing.
I have to respectfully disagree with the idea that soldiers are forced to go to war. While you did not choose to invade Iraq, you made the conscious decision to join the military, the primary function of which is fighting wars. I have worked in food-service for four years and have taken on massive student loan debt to go to college. While the military would have made going to college much cheaper for me, I decided not to because I disagree with its purpose. This was the choice I made and I don't blame you for the choice you made. However, I don't believe one can separate the actions of the soldier from those of the military as a whole. At its most basic level, the military is a group of individual people making individual choices. Please don't take this as a slight of your service. I believe you acted with the best of intentions, however, I feel those intentions were misguided.