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Students trek to D.C. protesting inauguration
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Several University of Wisconsin students are taking time off from the beginning of semester classes to travel to Washington, D.C. to protest the inauguration of President George W. Bush.
UW senior Beth Fallon and recent UW graduate Kat Nichols took a bus to Washington, D.C. together to join in the protest of today’s inauguration events.
Fallon and Nichols said they were very disappointed after Bush’s reelection, and they hope their trip will show their anger and bring about change in the future.
Liz Sanger, chair of College Democrats, said she has heard of other students planning to attend the inauguration. She said the UW campus was very politically active and it was great students were letting their opinions be known.
“I think we are really lucky that students here at UW are willing to educate themselves on the issues and take action,” Sanger said.
Jeremi Suri, UW assistant professor of history, said there is nothing uncommon about the student protests because UW students have always been very politically active in the past.
However, Suri said the level of student engagement in politics has lowered over the past several years.
“We need more student activism on both sides … or our public discourse suffers,” Suri said.
Suri said he encourages students to become more active in politics, specifically the inauguration. He added the inauguration is typically when the new president sets the agenda for the next four years, and it is a crucial moment for people to be aware of what will come in the future.
The inauguration is an opportunity for everyone to either support or protest the president’s agenda and hopefully influence decisions to meet their desires, according to Suri.
“Inaugurations set the tone for the next couple years, so it is important for people to think about that,” Suri said. “It is a very appropriate time to voice opinions.”
Dolores Grengg, co-chair of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, who is organizing a ball in resistance to the inauguration, said she supports the students who are traveling to Washington, D.C. to protest and she hopes it will bring about change.
“I think anyone can make a difference by going and protesting,” Grengg said.
UW professor Joe Elder, who witnessed students’ political activism during the Vietnam War, said it is vital for students to express their opinions and work to bring about change. He said protesting is an important part of the educational process, and he encourages people to continue their efforts.
“Intelligent people should take certain stands,” Elder said. “I’m all in favor of people expressing their opinions.”
Grengg said she heard the protesters would be turning their backs to President Bush during the inauguration. She also said she heard watchers would not be able to bring signs to the inauguration, which she said was unconstitutional.
“This is an important moment,” Suri said.
— Rachel Patzer contributed to this article
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At the same time Madison liberals are bullying the mayor for a warming shelter for the homeless, a few orgs are chartering a bus or two to protest the president’s inauguration. On cue, they will turn their backs in protest to everything Bush’s administration stands for.
Hmm, just how much is it costing to rent these buses? And why couldn’t they put this money toward heping to pay for the shelter, an idea I support, instead of going across the country to put on a cute little media sight gag?
Have Madison liberals lost their marbles, or is sensationalism suddenly preferred to actually doing something constructive? Thousands of Madison residents, mentally-sound liberals and homeless people would really appreciate some answers.
Is the previous comment poster actually equating liberalism with caring for homeless issues and therefore inferring that to be not liberal is to not care about such issues, hmm? Just a side track.
How much of a dent in curing the problme of homelessness in Madison and in the nation would every protestors’ travel money make? How about the money that was invested by wealthy partiers into Bush’s several inaugural balls and candlelight dinners? Or would the money the administration diverted from D.C.’s Homeland Security funds be more helpful. When there is an administration in power with such a general disregard for the well-being of society in general and individual human beings in particular, I believe that Americans should have no choice not to speak out, in person. The Madison homeless need a space to stay warm and a structure that enables them to empower themselves. But not everyone is invested in that issue.