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Student war protests�not exactly Vietnam-era stuff

March 06, 2003 ~ 1:22 p.m.

Some snippets from an Associated Press news story concerning student protests in the U.S.:

"Hundreds of students walked out in Texas. At San Antonio College, Melissa St. John, who favors an Iraq invasion, got into a nose-to-nose shouting match with a young man who argued no positive link has been made between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. St. John later said she doesn't like the idea of war, but diplomatic efforts to rein in Saddam have failed. "None of us like it, but it's time," she said. "Our country is under attack."

Sporadic rain fell as about 1,500 protesters � and a small number of Bush administration supporters holding a counter demonstration � gathered at Penn State University.

About 125 students and a few faculty members turned out in gray, drizzly weather for a rally at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Ross Meyer, a junior and founder of a student peace group, said he was disappointed by the turnout and someone interrupted his speech by urging the crowd to support the government if the United States invades Iraq.

Two sisters, Kate and Allie Dunn, traveled to a New York City anti-war rally from suburban Westchester County to express their support of the Bush administration. "Remember 9-11?" asked a sign carried by 18-year-old Kate.

* * *

Some quick points:

1. Students like Melissa St. John and the Dunn sisters make me feel better about the future youth of America.

2. Campuses like Penn State and Miami U hopefully have their own powerful pro-war voices that, unlike Vietnam protests of 30 years ago, won't get drowned out.

3. Instead of fretting about the sky falling like the Great American Chicken Little at the news of B-52s attacking Iraqi military targets, St. John said it best, "we are under attack." Meaning, we are damned if we don't fight this war.

4. The interruption of Meyer's speech by a war supporter is sweet justice. If only we'd been informed of how the majority of the crowd reacted. Let's hope Meyer had more to feel despondent about than the low turnout; maybe it was the turnabout that depressed him as well.

5. Kate Dunn's sign reading "Remember 9-11?" For lots of Americans and non-Americans alike, the answer can only be "apparently not."


Incidentally, to that special someone who keeps searching for "nightdragon diary" on the iwon search engine (eight times already by my count), I have a proposal: Either bookmark http://nightdragon.diaryland.com or, if you have a Diaryland diary yourself, list me in your profile. I'm thinking this would make life so much easier for you.

Your friendly, helpful dragon of the night,

� M.E.M.

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