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Bipartisan support

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Also by Keegan Kyle:

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Down and dirty on campus sanitation (October 11, 2007)

by Keegan Kyle

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Partisan bickering over the war in Iraq took a brief hiatus Wednesday as campus Democrats and Republicans honored America's fallen troops.

More than 4,200 U.S. flags lined the bottom of Bascom Hill, each symbolizing the death of an American soldier overseas. Oliver Kiefer, chair of the College Democrats, said the memorial aimed to raise awareness rather than promote one viewpoint over another.

"The reaction I was hoping for is actually what we got," Kiefer said. "Pause, reflect, think about what's going on in our world."

Some pedestrians passing the waving memorial stopped for pictures while others just scanned the display. Both organizations planted rows of miniature flags starting at 5:30 a.m. before classes started. Eight members of the College Democrats removed the flags Wednesday night.

The collaborative display was similar to a tribute nine days ago honoring victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Kiefer said the two groups have agreed to organize more events together on nonpartisan issues this year.

Honoring those Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice is something both sides could agree on, said Sara Mikolajczak, chair of College Republicans.

"It's great to take a step back despite what you believe," Mikolajczak said. "We weren't protesting anything. There was absolutely no argument made."

The memorial's respectful tone strayed from the campus' heated debate over the war in Iraq. The display attracted few cries from war protesters, but the Campus Anti-war Network was unaware of the display before Wednesday, said secretary Rob Lewis.

Lewis called the memorial a "disappointing" distraction from the war debate and accused the two partisan groups of "using troops as political tools of oppression."

"Now isn't really the time for flying nationalistic mantras," Lewis added. "This really doesn't do anything to help the troops."

Lewis said the College Democrats and College Republicans should be raising awareness and protesting the conditions in Iraq rather than reporting the number of soldiers killed.

Last April, around 25 members of the Campus Anti-war Network rallied in the Madison office of U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl demanding Congress stop funding the Iraq war. The group stayed overnight, but never had its meeting with the Wisconsin senator.

Coincidentally, Kohl contributed donations with the Dane County Democratic Party to pay for the campus troop tribute. Kiefer said each flag cost 15 cents, which he added does not compare to the loss of a soldier.

"It's not Arlington, but it's not bad either," Kiefer said.

Lewis disagreed and said educated discussion, not tribute, should drive the Iraq debate.

The Campus Anti-War Network plans to continue its protest of the Iraq war Friday at the Engineering Career Fair. The group hopes to mass a large turnout to prevent students from approaching Halliburton Energy Services, which supplies war materials to the U.S. military in Iraq.

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Anonymous (September 20, 2007 @ 3:47am):

CAN: the ultra-minority on campus

Anonymous (September 20, 2007 @ 8:10am):

'Awareness'? Are people not already aware? Stop picking the national scab.

Anonymous (September 20, 2007 @ 8:39am):

Wow, turn an article about the wonderful bipartisan Tribute to the Troops into yet another article about the Campus Antiwar Network. Well done Badger Herald well done...

Anonymous (September 20, 2007 @ 12:35pm):

...and this is why no one takes CAN seriously.

Anonymous (September 20, 2007 @ 2:10pm):

Keegan, did it occur to you to ask the CRs and CDs what the tribute meant to them?

I'd be willing to bet the CRs would say something along the line of these soldiers valiantly gave their lives to protect freedom while the CDs would say something along the line of these soldiers are the first of many who are needlessly being lost in an unnecessary war...

And what's with the veiled attack on Herb Kohl? Can't a guy do something nice to honor the fallen without being accused of trying to thwart the hippies who invaded his office?

Instead of reflecting on what our soldiers are being asked to sacrifice and why, helping the campus do a little soul searching, you've gotta go go and waste half your article giving the wig-nut CAN a mouthpiece to blather about nationalistic distractions?

Way to go.

Thanks for your enlightening analysis on events of note that happened yesterday.

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