Amidst growing diplomatic tension in the Middle East, Fairfield University students have begun to speak out against war along with millions of others around the world. Last week, students participated in anti-war functions on and off campus demonstrating what they believe to be the purest form of patriotism.
Last Tuesday, Rev. G. Simon Harak, S.J. (Fairfield University “Teacher of the Year” 1995) gave a presentation showing those in attendance what the major news corporations are not.
Harack said that, “We have to understand how much the corporations (and specifically, weapons-makers) are controlling what we see and hear in the media. Such media would be reluctant to report the effects of our policies on the Iraqi people, because it might stir up compassion, instead of threats of war.”
Harak stopped teaching at Fairfield University in 1998 to devote most of his time to co-founding Voices in the Wilderness. Voices has been trying for eight years to have the United States drop its sanctions on Iraq. They believe that the sanctions only hurt the citizens of Iraq and do nothing to harm Saddam’s regime and bring about positive lasting changes.
Harak showed the audience a short video filled with images captured during one of his trips to Iraq. Many seated in the audience had to turn away because of the gruesome nature of the images. The video contained numerous images of babies born with horrible physical birth defects due to the amount of sewage that flows freely throughout Iraqi streets.
Nicole Blyth ’05 was shocked by the presentation. “I knew that the sanctions had brought hard times upon the Iraqi people but I never though that it was that bad. We have to draw a line somewhere.”
Harak has been to Iraq three times with Voices and each time openly brings medical supplies with him to give to the hospitals, which are in great need of medical equipment. The government has threatened to bring charges against him, including 12 years in prison and $1 million in fines against the group. No action, as of yet, has been taken against the group.
About 40 Fairfield University students drove to Washington D.C. last Saturday morning to show their support for the lifting of U.S. sanctions and peace in the Middle East. 500,000 people showed up in Washington D.C., making it the largest rally to date against war with Iraq.
The rally began in front of the Capitol Building where speakers spoke for about an hour. Among the most well known speakers were Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton and actress Jessica Lange.
Once most of the speakers had their say, half of a million people crowded together in front of the stage before moving to the streets to march to a Navy yard over a mile away. Although the crowd had trouble moving out in the beginning because of the large numbers, they were soon moving at a regular pace.
Kevin Carol, ’06, who went the rally, thought that it was a success. “It was amazing to see all those people there for the same cause…it is something that I have never seen before and may never again.”
Even though the rally was not organized to bring a swift end to the tension in the Middle East, protesters hope that through rallies such as this one, more people will become aware of the alternative options that the U.S. may not be considering enough.
” I know that the rally may not have changed much right away but I hope that now more people are aware of what is really going on in Iraq,” said Carol.
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