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Events mark Iraq war anniversary
March 16, 2007
A series of events will commemorate the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq on Monday, March 19, which is the day the United States first invaded the country in 2003.
Sponsored by the PLU Democrats, Global Awareness Team and Students for Peace, the events aim to encourage constructive conversation about the war, counter desensitization of the war’s death toll and honor the dead, said student Shannon Murphy.
“We believe that there is a need on campus to keep the conversation going about the war in Iraq,” Murphy explained. “We hope this event will encourage people to stop and think about our involvement because it’s not just up to our national leaders to be active and informed.”
An event illustrating the death toll of Iraqis and Americans will take place during chapel break on Monday from 10:20 to 11:15 a.m. on Red Square. The awareness event includes more than fifty student participants.
“Anyone passing by during this time will not miss this activity,” Murphy said.
The exact death count for Iraqi civilians is presently unknown, and estimations vary widely, Murphy said. The awareness event will use estimates maintained by the campaign group, Iraq Body Count. The group uses media reports as the source for each death, and the BBC uses those figures in their reporting, she explained.
On Monday evening, a discussion panel featuring political science professor Sid Olufs and philosophy professors Paul Menzel and Pauline Kaurin will give students the opportunity to ask questions and think about the U.S. involvement in Iraq, Murphy said. The panel begins at 6 p.m. in Xavier’s Nordquist Lecture Hall.
“We want to tackle the tough questions,” Murphy said. Possible discussion topics include our moral responsibilities to American soldiers and the Iraqi people, our political responsibilities, positives and negatives about the war, and what panelists believe is the best exit strategy from the war.
The discussion will be followed by a candlelight vigil at 7:30 p.m. in Red Square.
To learn more, contact Murphy at murphysm@plu.edu.
“We believe that there is a need on campus to keep the conversation going about the war in Iraq,” Murphy explained. “We hope this event will encourage people to stop and think about our involvement because it’s not just up to our national leaders to be active and informed.”
An event illustrating the death toll of Iraqis and Americans will take place during chapel break on Monday from 10:20 to 11:15 a.m. on Red Square. The awareness event includes more than fifty student participants.
“Anyone passing by during this time will not miss this activity,” Murphy said.
The exact death count for Iraqi civilians is presently unknown, and estimations vary widely, Murphy said. The awareness event will use estimates maintained by the campaign group, Iraq Body Count. The group uses media reports as the source for each death, and the BBC uses those figures in their reporting, she explained.
On Monday evening, a discussion panel featuring political science professor Sid Olufs and philosophy professors Paul Menzel and Pauline Kaurin will give students the opportunity to ask questions and think about the U.S. involvement in Iraq, Murphy said. The panel begins at 6 p.m. in Xavier’s Nordquist Lecture Hall.
“We want to tackle the tough questions,” Murphy said. Possible discussion topics include our moral responsibilities to American soldiers and the Iraqi people, our political responsibilities, positives and negatives about the war, and what panelists believe is the best exit strategy from the war.
The discussion will be followed by a candlelight vigil at 7:30 p.m. in Red Square.
To learn more, contact Murphy at murphysm@plu.edu.