At odds over war

RUTH LONGORIA, THE OLYMPIAN

"I hope this is the beginning of people saying, 'What's going on?' " -- Peter Bohmer, Evergreen instructor

"We can't just forget all the people who lost their lives on Sept. 11." -- Gerry Clerget, Navy and Coast Guard veteran

OLYMPIA -- Students and instructors at The Evergreen State College protested the war in Afghanistan on Wednesday afternoon, but plans to move the rally to the Capitol fizzled.

Leaders said the rally was part of an international student strike that included demonstrations around the world.

The rally gave the 175 protesters a way to stand in solidarity with a "global student strike" promoted on the Internet, said Jason Adams, 26, an Evergreen student.

Adams, who helped organize the event at Evergreen's Red Square, said he hopes student rallies and public outcry against military action in Afghanistan will stop the bombing.

"I'd like to see a change in foreign policy," Adams said.

As students held banners and drummers beat their instruments, Mandy Zabohne, 21, danced through the crowd with a red, white and blue flag with corporate icons replacing the stars of Old Glory.

Zabohne, an environmental science and political economy student, said she got the flag from a Web site.

"This represents the corporate interests manipulating our foreign policy," Zabohne said. "The stars used to represent the states and the people in them -- now government only represents big companies."

Although she didn't give a speech at the rally, Zabohne said dancing with her flag was a positive way to be involved.

"It makes me feel better," she said.

Range of opinions

Although Evergreen has a reputation for student protests, the small crowd at Wednesday's rally is typical of gatherings at the college, said Art Costantino, vice president of student affairs.

"It's very rare to have a large crowd. I can't remember a cause that has had a crowd of 500 or more," he said.

Costantino, who attended part of the rally, said the size of the crowd doesn't necessarily show that few Evergreen students are opposed to the war.

"I think the wide range of opinions on campus in some ways reflects the country at large," Costantino said. "There are a wide range of opinions on what's going on."

Part of the educational process involves discussing opinions, but instructors differ on how open they should be about their opinions, Costantino said.

Peter Bohmer, a 14-year Evergreen political economy instructor, said the war is a "crime against humanity."

"I hope this is the beginning of people saying, 'What's going on?' and finding how we can be most effective in opposing the war and promoting peace at home," Bohmer said.

About 10 of his 75 students attended the rally, Bohmer said.

"This rally isn't a true test of student opinion," he said. "This is just the beginning of student momentum; students aren't just opposed to the war, but they want to talk about what's going on."

Freedom of expression is one of the many rights for which veterans like Gerry Clerget of Lacey have fought.

Clerget, who served for 22 years in the Navy and Coast Guard, said he respects the students' right to protest, but he can't agree with their opinion of this war.

"This is just like Pearl Harbor. We can't just forget all the people who lost their lives on Sept. 11," Clerget said.

"Is it going to happen again?" he asked. "We don't know. Do we let them continue to kill our people?"

Peaceful ways of finding solutions haven't worked, he said.

"Terrorism has been a problem for years and years," Clerget said. "We have to look at what is right and what is wrong and do what we have to do."

Ruth Longoria writes for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5435.