I love Georgetown. I am not an anti-establishment whiner who doesn’t appreciate the opportunity I’ve been blessed with for four years. I don’t hate my parents. I got enough hugs. I love America, and I shower with amazing frequency. I’m a big fan of Neutrogena body wash. When I have time, I even shave my legs.
Now that we’re all better acquainted, something happened in Red Square last Friday night that made me question my fellow students. No, it wasn’t the West Side Story-esque brawl at 3 a.m. that had DPS moving faster than the Bush administration’s attempts to roll back civil rights. No, that is another Voices piece for another time. Rather, what I found more disturbing was my encounter with two seemingly harmless guys passing the peace tents on their way home from a night out. They were upset.
Hell, I’m upset every time I turn on the news. But really, they were upset. So upset, in fact, that they called two DPS officers to mediate the situation. We, at the peace camp, had done the unthinkable. We had a masking tape peace sign over the face of the clock in Red Square.
“I can’t see what time it is,” one of them said. His significantly shorter friend stood next to his buddy, arms crossed across his chest, stoic. “Yeah,” he said.
I could read the time. The DPS officers, who later apologized to us for how ridiculous the situation was, could read the time too. But Lord knows, my bleeding-heart-liberal self’s first inclination is to help a brother out.
“Do you have a watch?” I asked. I laughed a little, trying to make light of the situation. I thought how embarrassing it must be to be 21 and not able to tell the time. “Surely, there must be some sort of affirmative action program for the time-impaired,” I thought.
They were not amused. Really, I’m pretty funny, so I found this disconcerting. I tried a different approach.
“Do you disagree with us? Does it make you angry that we’re out here?”
“Well, ya-yeah,” the taller one stammered.
Progress! I had a sneaking suspicion this hadn’t been about masking tape.
“What makes you angry about us being here?,” I prodded.
“I think it’s un-unpatriotic and I, I think you should support our troops.”
This is how it must feel to have a breakthrough with a patient who’s been in constant denial of a longtime psychosis.
“Gooood,” I encouraged. “This is why we’re out here.”
Sigh. Now the long road to recovery could begin.
All kidding aside,I attempted to honor my friend Peter’s request that I try, despite myself, to be diplomatic.
I wasn’t upset that those kids disagreed with us. In fact, I love a good debates-I look forward to times when people who think we’re idiots approach the tents to launch into a long list of why we’re wrong and they’re right. Hey, I don’t claim to know all the answers. I don’t pretend to stand several rungs higher than you on the ladder of morality. We’re there to get our point across, to have a dialogue, and to tell campus that you can be anti-war and pro-troops.
I want to thank those people who have approached us, ready to engage in a meaningful and respectful debate that honors the education we’ve all received. They make me proud to be at Georgetown and to live in a place where I don’t have to be afraid to question my government.
So, to the two guys who crossed our path on Friday night: I’m glad we talked about why you disagreed with us. If you want to come back, I’d enjoy the chance to talk with you some more. And for the rest of you G’towners, fuming because us damn hippies are blocking your favorite corner of Red Square-come talk to us. Don’t be shy. Just don’t come up with a lame, masking tape related excuse. The peace movement is moving pretty quickly and frankly, we just don’t have the time.
Cara Hayes is a senior in the School of Foreign Service. She thinks that challenging the government does a body good, and has brought us nifty things like civil rights.
