2008 Woodie Awards
Valley Students Rally for Peace
Club works to promote political awareness and activism.
Jessica Shaffer
Issue date: 3/22/06 Section: News
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The club also plans to create an Arlington West Memorial on the lawn of Valley College this April consisting of a series of crosses and other religious symbols implanted in the grass in front of the cafeteria, one to honor each soldier lost in Iraq. The Students for Peace club follows in the footsteps of Veterans for Peace, which sets up weekly Arlington West memorials at Santa Monica and Santa Barbara beaches.
"It's going to show people that peace is patriotic," said club President Anitra Wetzel. "That it's okay for us not to support the war and still support our soldiers."
Students for Peace is a club for politically active students attending Valley. They started in the fall semester of 2003 and have since accumulated 40 members to their mailing list and nearly 20 active members.
The Arlington West Memorial directly addresses one of the club's major goals: to stop the ongoing war in Iraq.
The club also wants to increase public involvement in government through education and sponsorship of a "clean money" initiative. Wetzel explained that under "clean money," political candidates would only accept public funding for financing their campaigns and therefore would be held accountable to the public.
"If legislators run under the voluntary public fund, they cannot run privately at the same time," said club Secretary Ian Roessle.
Though not all students agree with the organization's goals, many think that the Arlington West Memorial is a good idea. "I think it's a nice thing that they are doing for our fallen soldiers," said Valley student, Juan Garcia.
The club's faculty sponsor, Librarian Dana Lubow, supports the Arlington West Memorial though she admits that the dates are not yet definite. "We did it before," she said. "Last time it was set up for a week."
The Arlington West Memorial was also set up last semester, but it takes on new significance as March 19, 2006 marked the three-year anniversary of the war in Iraq.
Students for Peace meet on Tuesdays from 1 to 3 p.m. in front of the campus bookstore or in the cafeteria if it rains. Students are welcome to attend the meetings or visit the club's Web site at www.studentsforpeace.net.
