It’s 9:00 am on a Tuesday, and a light flow of people stream through Red Square. Some walk by with eyes focused ahead, but most glance over to the now-familiar group of tents pitched on the side of White-Gravenor. The majority of interested passers-by look past the protest signs to make eye contact with one of the activists inside the camp.
“Most people don’t understand why we’re out here,” said Ev Yankey (CAS ‘06).
Since March 19, exactly 48 hours after President Bush announced the impending bombing of Iraq, GU Peace Action members have occupied a section of Georgetown’s free-speech zone to express their dissatisfaction with the war. “Most people think that we think we’re going to stop the war. We don’t. We’re just here to be a peaceful presence, to create dialogue,” Yankey said.
But the group’s message is not always a unified one. “One of the biggest misconceptions people have is that we are all radical activists. We’re not-some of us are radical and some of us are moderate-we just all agree that war is not the answer,” said Hollie Blake (SFS ‘06).
Some of the activists are guided by their religious faiths. “I don’t like the way in which the Peace Action activists are stereotyped,” said Rebecca Cataldi (SFS ‘03). “I’m a Catholic and my religious beliefs strongly guide the way I live and the decisions I make. I don’t think war is never justifiable, but this war does not meet the criteria of just war theory.”
The number of activists who inhabit the camp through the day ranges from 20 to 60, depending on the weather. Originally only made up of a few tents and tarps, the camp now includes a toaster, a space heater, a stereo, a few grills, art supplies and boxes filled with donated food. Even with these amenities, the mood in the tent tends to remain subdued. “Some people think that the peace camp has a party-like atmosphere, but the mood stays pretty serious,” Mary Nagle said (CAS ‘05).
“We do homework, talk to each other about what’s happening in Iraq, talk to people who come by to say they support us and discuss the issues with people who disagree with our stances,” said Emil Totonchi (SFS ‘06).
With no end of war in sight, Totonchi says no date has been set to disband the camp. “We’ll be here indefinitely,” Totonchi said.
According to Yankey the club is setting its sights on the future, requesting a extra $500 in funding for next year. “We included the impending wars with Iran and North Korea in our budget,” he said.
“You got to be prepared for these things, you know,” he said.
