2008 Woodie Awards
Students found guilty of trespassing
Ron Kind sit-in last spring results in fines
Elena Bantle
Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: News
Last Thursday, a group of UW-L students dressed in black and sporting umbrellas walked across campus. They were on their way to attend a trial for several people, including students, who were cited for trespassing during a peaceful demonstration in March of 2007 at Congressman Ron Kind's office.
They sat in to make a statement about the United State's continued presence in Iraq.
"We sat in Congressperson Ron Kind's office because we believe we have a moral, ethical and legal duty to protect others… the 'sit-in' was a peaceful protest to demonstrate that we consider the crimes against humanity and crimes against peace in Iraq to be unacceptable. We wish to be on the record that we do not condone the continued death and destruction in Iraq," said one participant.
Of the seven individuals cited, four were present at the trial. They were joined by others who came to show their support for those who sat in and for the troops in Iraq. Some were members of the UW-L Progressives, a non-partisan campus student organization. The silent witnessing of the trial was not prompted by partisan views, but rather out of support for the troops. One main concern was the frequency of military service people suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder and the availability of treatment for returning soldiers.
According to a study by nonprofit research group RAND, about 300,000 military service members who returned from Iraq and Afghanistan report symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. This is nearly 1 in 5, or 20 percent of all returning service members.
This same group of students who sat in and students who attended the trial to show support also raised money for Guitars for Vets. Guitars for Vets is an organization that provides veterans with guitars and musical instruction in the hope that self-expression through music will help restore joy after trauma.
Those on trial did not argue that they were in the office illegally but declared that they were compelled by international law to oppose the war. They were found guilty of trespassing, and fined ninety-six dollars each.
They sat in to make a statement about the United State's continued presence in Iraq.
"We sat in Congressperson Ron Kind's office because we believe we have a moral, ethical and legal duty to protect others… the 'sit-in' was a peaceful protest to demonstrate that we consider the crimes against humanity and crimes against peace in Iraq to be unacceptable. We wish to be on the record that we do not condone the continued death and destruction in Iraq," said one participant.
Of the seven individuals cited, four were present at the trial. They were joined by others who came to show their support for those who sat in and for the troops in Iraq. Some were members of the UW-L Progressives, a non-partisan campus student organization. The silent witnessing of the trial was not prompted by partisan views, but rather out of support for the troops. One main concern was the frequency of military service people suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder and the availability of treatment for returning soldiers.
According to a study by nonprofit research group RAND, about 300,000 military service members who returned from Iraq and Afghanistan report symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. This is nearly 1 in 5, or 20 percent of all returning service members.
This same group of students who sat in and students who attended the trial to show support also raised money for Guitars for Vets. Guitars for Vets is an organization that provides veterans with guitars and musical instruction in the hope that self-expression through music will help restore joy after trauma.
Those on trial did not argue that they were in the office illegally but declared that they were compelled by international law to oppose the war. They were found guilty of trespassing, and fined ninety-six dollars each.
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