Kati: The role of youth and students in the movement to end the war is to build the anti-war movement. We need to take to the streets in a major way and resist the ongoing war and occupation of Iraq, and this is exactly what is happening. On February 15th, thousands of students in Santa Barbara occupied a highway for hours, bringing the war and the anti-war movement back into the front pages of the media. We need to continue with this momentum and continue to organize!
Ron: When you're organizing on campus and elsewhere, do you run into a lot of cynicism and apathy from other young people? What at do you say to those youth who dismiss the antiwar movement?
Kati: There is always going to be a certain amount of apathy and cynicism from young people on any major issue – it’s easy to feel that your voice in a movement does not matter and will do nothing to change things. What these students need to remember, however, is that the masses are the makers of history. It has historically been social movements – not great leaders – that have changed the course of history. It is our role in this present day as students and youth to make those movements and be a part of them. As far as apathy is concerned, what is more important right here and right now than the fact that the United States government is continuing an unjust and illegal war and occupation in Iraq that is causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people? I think more and more students are recognizing this – at UNCA we are going door-to-door in the dorms trying to get people to pledge to walkout of their classes, and almost everybody we talk to is very receptive and wanting to do something to end the war, and just need an organization or action to plug that energy into.
Ron: Is SDS encouraging young people to attend the March on the Pentagon on March 17th? On a side note, what is your take on the ongoing squabble between the two national antiwar coalitions--UFPJ and ANSWER?Kati: SDS is mobilizing for the March on the Pentagon on the 17th – there is an SDS organizing team and a planned SDS contingent for this march. There was also an SDS-led student contingent at the January 27th UFPJ demo in DC. As far as the fighting between UFPJ and ANSWER – I cannot speak for all of SDS, but ANSWER tends to have more anti-imperialist politics like that of SDS. There was an open letter to UFPJ written recently that was critical of the call that they put out for a protest in NYC on March 18th – the day after the ANSWER March on the Pentagon and during the planned encampment in DC. Some SDS activists signed on to that letter and I agree with it. I oppose any kind of efforts to divide the anti-war movement.
Ron: How can people interested in organizing or attending a March 20th action find out more?
Kati: People interested in organizing an event for March 20th, or even if schools are on spring break but still support the call to action, should contact march20antiwar@hotmail.com. There is also a blog about the March 20th actions – www.march20antiwar.blogspot.com – where people can see what schools are participating, reports about organizing methods from schools, and press roundups.
Ron: Anything else?
Kati: The call to action for March 20th grew out of an initiative from an SDS meeting with 20 campuses, started out as having four schools signed on to action, and now has over 50 schools participating. The momentum for this is tremendous, and shows that we are truly in a new period in the student anti-war movement. It’s so inspiring to see actions being planned all across the country, with different student groups working and connecting with each other. The groups participating range from large well-known universities to small-town high schools with a couple of students taking up the initiative. I hope that we can continue with this energy past March 20th and really make history with the work that we are doing, everyday, to end the war.
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