Sept. 27, 2002 
Editorial: Interest in weekend protests refreshing 

Our View Students attending this weekend's World Bank and
International Monetary Fund protests should be commended
for overcoming apathy.

The World Bank and International Monetary Fund protests
create a hectic time for the Washington area - offices
close down, universities step up security and the police
hit the streets in droves. Violence, unfortunately, has
come to be expected. This year a substantial number of
university students are expected to risk the danger and
take a stand, and they should be commended for it,
regardless of their political viewpoints.

The student population is largely apathetic about both
local and international matters, yet the students
attending this weekend's protests are tackling an arcane
and complicated issue, and it's refreshing to see the
kind of passion that drives people to sacrifice a
significant amount of their time for the global good.

The protests take place today and tomorrow, and members
of the Peace Forum plan to extend their work to Sunday,
when about 100 students are expected to picket outside of
Vice President Cheney's house, rallying against the war
in Iraq. In contrast, far more students will probably
spend their time off from class by attending the home
football game featuring a sub-par opponent.

It's possible that many will choose to skip the protests
out of fear of arrest or harm, but it's more likely that
those absent just do not know enough about the issue to
care about either side of it. The next step for the
protesters and supporters of the World Bank and IMF is to
bring the debate to the university, much like the forums
concerning the Israel/Palestine conflict. Then maybe the
university will have an even stronger showing on both
sides at an event of international magnitude.

It is important to stress that there are both sides to
the World Bank/IMF issue. It is too rare that proponents
of the groups make a strong argument in their favor. More
people need to make counterarguments to the protesters.  
Constructive debate is vital to educating the student
body on the nuances of the matter of contention.
Likewise, students attending the protests should keep
them constructive - make your peers even prouder by
preventing the degeneration of the protests to a physical
nature.

Your voice will be louder if you use it before your
fists.