U. not a hotbed of activism on Iraq

Few Penn students took part in recent protests against a potential war. When U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright, National Security Advisor Sandy Berger and Secretary of Defense William Cohen paid a recent visit to Ohio State University, many students turned out to protest the federal government's threats to use force in the current crisis with Iraq. Students at many other U.S. schools have been quick to join the protests. But at Penn -- the site of two small recent demonstrations -- apathy has largely prevailed. "Penn students are generally apathetic," College junior Michael Tauer said. "Our age group is more apathetic than our parents were, and at Penn everyone is wrapped up in their own issues -- not global ones." Before United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein reached a tentative agreement this week to open presidential palaces to U.N. arms inspectors, the main condition for ending the current crisis -- which began when Iraqi officials refused to allow U.N. arms inspectors access to sites suspected of housing biological and chemical weapons, prompting the U.S. to threaten air strikes -- some students rallied against the use of military force against Iraq. Several of the University's cultural organizations, including the Lebanese Club and the Penn Arab Student Society, sponsored two emergency protests three weeks ago in response to President Clinton's recent threats to begin air strikes against Iraq. But even these attempts drew low student response. Only about 20 Penn students gathered on College Green for both events, one beginning at noon and the other at 5 p.m. Last week, about 80 people -- including both Penn students and community members -- gathered on College Green for several band performances as part of a longer event entitled "Time for Peace." The event was followed by a candlelight vigil remembering victims of war and a symposium debate about the current crisis -- both of which attracted even fewer attendees. College senior Josh Marcus, one of the organizers of "Time for Peace," said that despite low turnout, the event succeeded in focusing students' attention on the impending war and fostering discussion. "I was surprised how engaged students were," he said. "No one wants to be told how to think, so people often shy away from protests. But I don't think that necessarily makes the student body apathetic." Other students said they were simply uninterested in the issue. "I didn't go to the protests because it's not an issue that particularly moves me," said College senior Seth Lasser, a former Daily Pennsylvanian columnist who frequently wrote on foreign policy issues. "It's too bad students don't feel compassion for Iraqi people, but political apathy is a reality for most causes on campus." But while such apathy is not found on all U.S. campuses, College freshman Tamar Yemini said most students may not think they have a vested interest in what happens in Iraq. "I think students feel distant about what's going on in Iraq," she said. "It's hard to get them involved unless they personally have something at stake or if they see biological warfare first hand."

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