Univ. of Iowa Students Interrupt McCain-Palin Rally

I'm glad to see my old alma mater is keeping up with the times.  

Stephen Fox, I didn't know you lived in Cedar Rapids.  I guess I was busy chasing that flood down the Mississippi last spring that I never saw what you wrote. 

How is the corn crop?  I read there has been a lot more rain.  

by Margaret Bassett (51 articles, 3819 quicklinks, 66 diaries, 2539 comments [200 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 at 12:34:24 AM

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I live in Santa Fe New Mexico where I have a gallery and work for free as an Editor/Blogger for Obama about 14 hours a day, but I do keep up with things that could be used to Obama's advantage wherever they happen....

Please send a letter to those papers I listed in support of these students, who really should be commended by name, in my opinion, for their obvious intelligence and Gandhian courage!!!!!!

by Stephen Fox (98 articles, 4 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 834 comments [38 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 at 12:42:11 AM

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For six long years we've been asking where are the student protestors of yore?

They finally found their collective voice, perhaps because it finally dawned on them that four more years of Bush, if the McPalin ticket wins, affects them directly. It could very well mean and end to their university educations,  one-way tickets into the army, and much, much more, such as rendering the Constitution into a "quaint" historic document.

by Sandy Sand (198 articles, 0 quicklinks, 227 diaries, 1548 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 at 6:43:03 AM

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You are so right! As a creature of the 60's who went to Peace Marches in San Francisco once a month in 1967 and 1968 all the way from Occidental College in L.A. where Obama went to school also for  2 years, I often wondered in the 70's and 80's the same question you asked: what happened to the student out protesting? Why did they seem to enmeshed in that MBA course work? Had they got what they wanted, the end to the Vietnam war, and that was the end of the student movement, or had they been offered such peachy jobs and such cushy surroundings if they just kept away from such events, which then began to wither on the vine-maybe draconian laws passed by Nixon against "disorderly conduct on U.S.government property" had succeeded in shutting everyone up, and besides, nothing came along as monstrous as Vietnam anyway? So it appeared....

Thus, I was delighted to hear of these courageous 12 students in Iowa. Maybe this will grow into opponents of Iraq and opponents of failed military excursions and wasted "defense" expenditures all over the United States.

I am perhaps to old to be out there myself, but I can certainly encourage and commend these young Gandhians, and I hope you and other readers will join me in sending a note to those papers I mentioned in the article.....

by Stephen Fox (98 articles, 4 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 834 comments [38 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 at 8:26:03 AM

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While I commend the students who were very courageous in doing this, and the same can be said for the Iraq Veterans Against the War and Code Pink protesters at the RNC, the problem I see is how they go about it sometimes and the language they use.

Of all the phrases they had to use why "free abortion on demand". That is like putting the bullets in the gun and then handing it to the Religious-rightwing Neonuts. While I understand their intention that is a TERRIBLE choice of words.

 I would be so happy if someday the Democratic party was smart enough to decide to NEVER use the word abortion again. Why not use the phrase, "free birth-control on demand".

Come on people we have to stop perpetuating the myth that we are the pro-abortion party.  This is going to be a wedge-issue again this year and we should be chanting" equal pay for equal work", "our body, our choice" and pointing out over and over and over that Palin has done NOTHING to advocate for women in any of these regards. We will NOT win over middle America by looking extremist and using language like "free abortions on demand".

No one should be for abortions. We should be smarter than that and understand how to start decreasing the need for them without obviously dicating to a woman what they should or should not do to their body. 

The majority of Americans support the ant-war protests and they support the pro-choice rallies but they DO NOT support abortion.

I apologize for my frustration on this. I really hope they don't circulate that story around without changing the language. 

by E. Nelson (49 articles, 14 quicklinks, 29 diaries, 550 comments [73 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 at 9:17:46 AM

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This is news. It is a big story. I don't have the right to change what they said, nor would I. Further, it would be duplicitous to leave out something they said just because it didn't happen to jive with my own particular world view. This is what I just emailed to about 20 papers in Iowa, and I hope you could send something of your own to the ones I mentioned in the article. Thanks for your comment by the way....

Letter to the Editor:

Dear Editor: These University of Iowa students (Megan Felt, Hannah Rounds, Laura Kacere, Marni Steadham, Robin Berman, Dan Rathjen, David Goodner, Justin Feinstein, Brooke Bachelder, Lara Elborno, Naomi Prager, and Anthony Carter) deserve our commendation for their Gandhian intelligence and courage in doing what they did in interrupting the McCain/Palin rally with key questions, as reported on CNN. They are telling Americans that young people will not accept four more years of more Bush/Cheney/Halliburton/Blackwater policies, and no more killing of innocent people, bystanders, and children in either Iraq or Afghanistan, which is becoming an international scourge for the USA. They remind me of the best of the Vietnam War protesters, as well as the heroic actions of M.K. Gandhi himself, whose work I have studied for 30 years!

Truly, Stephen Fox
Contributing Editor New Mexico Sun News
217 W. Water St., Santa Fe, NM 87501
505 983-2002

by Stephen Fox (98 articles, 4 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 834 comments [38 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 at 10:04:49 AM

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Stephen I did not suggest that you change what was said. On the other hand you as an editor should know that things are left out of stories every minute and every hour of each and every day. That is what editors do and that is what writers do. No way can write and mention every single thing that happened at every single event. You know that and I know that.

I am merely pointing out that in the future people need to be a little smarter about not giving the other side more ammunition. We can pretend that the right-wing neonuts will respect us for being polite and respectful and at the same time we will watch our way of life slowly destroyed and watch our planet slowly destroyed.

I am done being apologetic and polite. I am not here to make friends and give each other a backrub or a high-five. I am here because I want my country back and I want it to exist for my children and for my grand children and my friends and neighbors and for the people I don’t even know. Plain and simple.

by E. Nelson (49 articles, 14 quicklinks, 29 diaries, 550 comments [73 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 at 11:04:39 AM

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"I really hope they don't circulate that story around without changing the language. " TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY....this IS what you said....anyway, I did agree to some extent upon reflection, and took that five words out of the article. Even if it makes sense to do so only in Utah, it was still a good idea.

by Stephen Fox (98 articles, 4 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 834 comments [38 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 at 11:24:27 AM

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I understand your frustration with the use of words spoken by the students. But you have to understand the anger of these students about the tenor of the country now.

As one who suffered  from the unavailability of an abortion in 1955, a fact that ruined my life and the lives of the people around me, I understand that anger. I wish I had had the opportunity to scream those words that they screamed. I want them to have that right for themselves and their offspring.

 I'm not going to say that as a man you can't understand my feelings but the situation is different. Ok, I would say that we must have the right to choose an abortion if we want to. But youth has the right to be more outspoken. I wish I had been able to shout to somebody back then  so I do some shouting now and hope it makes a difference.

by Caronome (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 382 comments [33 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 at 10:47:09 PM

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Thanks to all of your for your comments from Stephen Fox, who posted this article....hopefully, particularly in the battleground states, there will be many more who follow their example. Minimal coverage in the Iowa and the national press, but that is to be expected, I guess. The press was all over the several lunatics in Florida who interrupted Obama and accused him of being in the KKK! THEY WERE BLACK, TOO! Who paid them TO DO SUCH A LUDICOROUS ACT? Karl Rove?

by Stephen Fox (98 articles, 4 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 834 comments [38 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 at 9:12:32 PM

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I hadn't heard about the protesters at the Obama rally. Wow that is so sad it is almost funny. That is the Republican doctrine right now. Turn everything on its head so we starting believing up is down and evil is good. Yeah I wonder how much those protesters were paid to do something so ridiculous and ludicrous.

by E. Nelson (49 articles, 14 quicklinks, 29 diaries, 550 comments [73 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Monday, Sep 22, 2008 at 9:11:45 AM

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 The students protesting were obviously motiovatd by the continuing Republican policies which leaves millions behind--without the benefits of government--and upon the very rising costs--one that the Republicans have defferred well into the future--and long after they have finished their term.

  In in the tradition of civil disobedience I applaud them...for while they disrupted, it was not an event thet led to arrests, violence or deaths. Of course Palin and McCain and their supporters  will simply dismiss them as "radical" "anti_American" and promoting instability for the nation. But they won't speak of root causes or practical solutions.

  Iraq policy is the core to the economy--which is more based  now on governmental spending than the consumer market the corporations have depended on for the higher margins of profits. Nor will they speak of the rise of oil prices for few days, and millions of cash flow, expeting to promote they are experts.

  What nonsense they present to any critical thinking. Again I applaud the protesting of the superficiality. But as much, the "blogging" for Obama is new tool and measure for the campaign.It allows millions who would otherwise ber silenced through the mainstream media and present an ongoin awareness with real questions and inquiry.Those ideas are more depth than the protesting . keep up the good work.

by Eliot Gould (16 articles, 0 quicklinks, 28 diaries, 200 comments [3 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Sep 21, 2008 at 11:13:35 AM

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Commendations from grannies

Wonderful news. We grandmothers in the peace movement wondered when the youth of America would wake up and start protesting the war in Iraq, as we have been doing for five years. We are thrilled to read about the admirable students at the UI who protested not only John McCain's war mind set but Palin's anti-women beliefs and policies. Keep it up, kids. We grannies aren't getting any younger, and we earnestly hope you'll continue our struggle for peace and justice after we're gone.

Joan Wile
founder-director, Grandmothers Against the War
New York City


Protesters lauded

During a McCain/Palin speech, UI students Megan Felt, Hannah Rounds, Laura Kacere, Marni Steadham, Robin Berman, Dan Rathjen, David Goodner, Justin Feinstein, Brooke Bachelder, Lara Elborno, Naomi Prager, and Anthony Carter used their constitutional right of free speech to bring attention to the fact that this pair does not speak for many Americans. The students deserve our respect for their courage.

In recent days, I have felt frightened for our nation and worried that young people might not be paying attention (despite Barack Obama's great gains in getting them to become interested in politics). These students make me proud. I believe that Martin Luther King Jr and Gandhi taught this very tactic - nonviolently opposing oppression. As we said in the old days, "Right on."

Tomi Phillips
The Woodlands, Texas


And again

These University of Iowa students (Megan Felt, Hannah Rounds, Laura Kacere, Marni Steadham, Robin Berman, Dan Rathjen, David Goodner, Justin Feinstein, Brooke Bachelder, Lara Elborno, Naomi Prager, and Anthony Carter) deserve our commendation for their Gandhian intelligence and courage in doing what they did in interrupting the McCain/Palin rally with key questions, as reported on CNN. They are telling Americans that young people will not accept four more years of more Bush/Cheney/Halliburton/Blackwater policies and no more killing of innocent people, bystanders, and children in either Iraq or Afghanistan, which is becoming an international scourge for the USA. They remind me of the best of the Vietnam War protesters, as well as the heroic actions of M.K. Gandhi himself, whose work I have studied for 30 years.

Stephen Fox

Santa Fe, N.M.

by Stephen Fox (98 articles, 4 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 834 comments [38 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Monday, Sep 22, 2008 at 11:51:19 AM

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