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Activist author challenges imperialist U.S. activities
By Brandon Daviet
bdaviet@mscd.edu

During the Vietnam War, students made their name as the outspoken activists of America. To mobilize a nationwide movement, the Students for a Democratic Society organized and became known as one of the most vocal opponents of the war and pioneered a system of nonviolent protest.

Now, in response to the war in Iraq, SDS chapters are once again springing up, including one here on Auraria. Scott Kwansny, who helped formed the Auraria chapter, said the group is needed because our current president is “living in the Stone Age.”

As one of its first events, the group welcomed author Phyllis Bennis from the Institute of Policy Studies to speak about the Bush administration’s activities and policies in Iraq. Bennis has devoted many years to peace activism and was involved with SDS during the ’60s.

Speaking to a full house in the Tivoli senate chamber, Bennis declared that the “U.S. is trying to build an empire. It has to do with oil and it has to do with power.”

Bennis is currently speaking at campuses around the country about her new book Challenging Empire, which puts forth strong opinions about what needs to be done about the conflict in Iraq.
The book largely focuses on the roles that the U.S. and U.N. play in deciding foreign policy. The book also details the strength of public opinion and why the New York Times declared it the world’s “second superpower.”

Bennis took some time to speak about the effect the war has had locally. “In Colorado alone $5.1 million in tax dollars has gone towards the war in Iraq, and 32 soldiers from Colorado have died,” Bennis said.

In addition to the troops lost, Bennis pointed out that the government is largely avoiding commenting on the high numbers of Iraqi casualties that are a result of the war.

“We don’t know exactly how many Iraqis have died because the Pentagon doesn’t keep a body count, but a study by Johns Hopkins University puts the number at more than 650,000 as of October 2005,” Bennis said.

Bennis pleaded for people to get involved in the peace movement and reiterated the message of SDS that when a government runs amuck, people have a right and an obligation to protest.

“We need to create a new concept of foreign policy that is based on justice and not the wants of the current administration,” she said. “That is the challenge that is facing your generation.”

For more information about Auraria SDS, go to the group’s blog at http://aurariasds.blogspot.com.