Austin Student Joins D.C. War Protest

Nora Hansel, an 18-year-old college student from Austin, is kicking off her spring break by joining an anti-war protest in Washington D.C. that seeks to disrupt the nation's capital on the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. Sounds like fun to me. Hansel, who has been in the district for about a week in the anti-war movement, said she thinks that too many college students are overlooking the war in Irag. Hansel said she even compares this war to the war in Vietnam. Since there was no draft like there was back in Vietnam, people are not worried about the war in Irag. Hansel said, "It allows students to be disconnected and under the illusion that the war is not affecting them — when in reality it is affecting all of us." Organizers said they are targeting the Democratic majority of Congress as well as the Republican administration. Hansel said, "More college students should get involved. It is so easy for many of us to go about our day-to-day life without even thinking there is a war going on," she said.

Should more college students get involved with the war? Yes and no. Yes in the way that the youth, also known as America's future, have such a big voice and impact on this conflict that they should take advantage of this situation and let America hear them. I'm not saying for them to go out and enlist in the war. I'm simply telling them to pick up a newspaper and get informed. Then maybe that will enlighten them to get up and do something about it. No in the way that whatever you do don't enlist. To put it bluntly, you'll be selling your soul away to the devil. Do I think Nora Hansel's act will help America's youth get invloved with the war? Sadly, no I don't. It will definetly gain the attention of many students and critics. But I think too many college students are concerned about what's going on with their lives and not other people's lives. They don't want to leave there safety net and are happy with whats going on inside their world. And the "War in Iraq", well frankly, doesn't exist in theirs. I mean I can't be a hypocrite either. I am definetly one of those college students as well. But at least I pick up a paper every morning and stay informed about what's going on in Irag. That's a lot more than most people do.

link to article:
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/shared/news/WARPROTEST_AUSTIN19_AUS.html