War opponents speak out in front of the Union

Pitt student Ashlee Green stood on top of a bench outside the William Pitt Union with a… Pitt student Ashlee Green stood on top of a bench outside the William Pitt Union with a megaphone in hand to speak out against the war in Iraq and give the reasons why she opposes it.

“We are proud of the U.S. for being so free, but whenever we exercise our freedom, it is considered unpatriotic,” she said.

Among signs that read, “Bring the troops home now,” Green read aloud statistics about the war — including the fact that at least 2,364 American soldiers have died since the war began. Next, she said that one-third of soldiers returning from the war received mental help for post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Green participated in a “speak-out” Friday as a member of the campus group Pitt Against War, which conducts activities such as the speak-outs to spread its “anti-war” message.

According to member Sam Waite, the goal of Friday’s speak-out was to build support off of the momentum created on March 19, which featured a large anti-war demonstration in Pittsburgh that marked the three-year anniversary of the war.

“Now there is definitely a majority that thinks war is wrong,” Waite said, as the group walked from its usual spot in front of Hillman Library to the William Pitt Union. “The trick is mobilizing these people.”

While members of PAW speak out against war and encourage passersby to grab the megaphone and do the same, they also welcome supporters of the war to participate in the activity. No passersby that participated in Friday’s speak-out spoke for the war.

Soon after the speak-out started, a worker from the William Pitt Union warned them that the Pitt Police might be on the way to break it up. Members of PAW said that they weren’t surprised of this news because of the new location of their speak-out.

“It’s a rather extreme reaction, but it’s typical,” he said about police response.

According to member John Clendaniel, who didn’t expect police to respond, the group can conduct its speak-outs on a public sidewalk. Members of the group were not sure if the area outside of the William Pitt Union qualified as a safe area to protest.

PAW wrapped up its speak-out, however, before any police responded Friday.

Jonah McAllister, Pitt graduate student and member of PAW, handed out the group’s fliers to passersby. He said that he thinks PAW’s speak-outs are important because they help to raise “the profile” of PAW on campus and consciousness of students.

“It makes a difference,” he said. “It’s important to create a space where people feel comfortable to speak out against the war.”

Patrick Hilko, a Pitt student who sat on the bench next to the speakers, said that he didn’t think the speak-out alone would make a difference. He said that to make a difference, PAW would have to incorporate it with other forms of action.

“It’s good to inform people,” Hilko said.

Last semester, PAW helped organize buses of students to attend the Sept. 24 mobilization to Washington. According to PAW’s flier, this was one of the largest anti-war demonstrations in U.S. History, with more than 300,000 participants.

PAW spreads its message and educates people by showing videos about the war and holding “teach-ins.”

McAllister said that people give a generally positive reaction to PAW and its speak-outs.

“Some people want to speak out,” he said.

Some students who walked by PAW’s speak-out yelled for members to talk louder while others did not give reactions.