OCAW Calls Students to Speak

To the Editors:

The Oberlin Coalition Against the War (OCAW) forced Student Senate, with the help of Student Senator Jesse Kanson-Benanav, to hold a referendum calling on students to voice their opinion on the war. A ballot was placed in everyone’s OCMR box on Thursday asking if you support the war against Iraq. Vote no! We already know that the majority of students on campus do not support this war, but by voting, we can officially voice this publicly. Our goal of the referendum is to give the administration more leverage to speak out publicly against the war, something we are trying to pressure them to do. Other schools have already taken or are taking the same initiative by passing similar student referendums. Historically, Oberlin has taken a public stance on these types of important social issues—it spoke out against the Vietnam war, and against Apartheid in South Africa—and it is important for us as a college to remain committed to them.
I am against this war because I am against all forms of violence, but I’m especially against “preemptive” war and killing innocent civilians. What do you think of this war? Speak out! Personally, I think it is our duty to get involved and to give something back to the world to balance what we were given, or what we, as America, have taken. I acknowledge that there a lot of ways to do this, and that there are a lot of other worthwhile activist causes worth fighting for on this campus.
I hope though that if you’re not too busy with some other activist group, you’ll try working with us. If you are interested in getting involved with OCAW, we meet every Tuesday at 7:30 PM in Wilder 110. In addition to forcing this referendum to be held, organizing last Wednesday’s day of action, and sending people to anti-war protests, we are organizing a large, regional peace conference at Oberlin December 7th and 8th, we’re networking with other schools, working in the community to build local support, and other exciting things.

Our five points of unity are:
No to War on Iraq
End the sanctions on Iraq
Defend civil liberties
Money for jobs, education, healthcare
Commitment to anti-oppression

–Jordan Balagot
Conservatory senior