BY ERNIE MAILHOT, ROLLANDE GIRARD, AND KEVIN DWIRE
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Chanting "No War on Iraq," 200 people rallied outside St. John's Arena on the Ohio State University campus February 18. Inside the arena Clinton administration officials were holding a "national town meeting" to justify the massive bombing campaign planned for Iraq. The protest was called by the Middle East Peace Committee on campus.

Students from Ohio State, Antioch College, and Earlham College in Ohio and Goshen College in Indiana were among the crowd that gathered in the rain to protest the U.S. war on Iraq. Other people came from Cincinnati and Cleveland. Many people had tickets to get into the meeting.

Campaigners for the Socialist Workers candidates in Ohio sold 10 copies of the Militant newspaper. Many people also took a campaign flyer headlined "Say No to U.S. War Drive!" Matthew Herreshoff is running for U.S. Senate and Tony Prince for Congress in the 10th district. Both are members of the United Steelworkers of America.

People waiting in long lines to get into the meeting were also interested in discussing the war drive on Iraq. "I really don't know what to think about it," said one student as she took a flyer. A young member of the National Guard on active duty said he thought "we have to do something about Iraq" and said he would go if called up. One group of students pooled their money to get two copies of the Militant so they could read more about opposition to the U.S. war drive.

MIAMI - Fifteen people picketing in downtown Miami against the bombing of Iraq were harassed by the city police February 12. The action was called by the Socialist Workers Party and the Young Socialists.

Unlike demonstrations held in the two previous weeks at the Federal Building, where there is little pedestrian traffic, this action was at the Government Center, next to one of the busiest Metro stops. Many people who walked by on their way home from work stopped to ask what the action was about. Some didn't agree with the protesters but others gave thumbs up.

At about 5:30 p.m., when the picket had been going for an hour, seven police cars arrived. The main officer on the scene, Sgt. Casiano, told the organizers of the protest that they were not allowed to hold any kind of demonstration on public property without a police permit and claimed no literature table could be set up even on the public sidewalk. Organizers explained this wasn't the case, but nothing changed the cop's mind, including the fact that a lieutenant talked to before the picket had said that the action was fine. Casiano refused to call this lieutenant.

As the police surrounded a literature table that accompanied the demonstration, more people stopped to show their approval with the protesters. One woman with her son started to applaud and others came by. A young Honduran worker named Walter said, "I think it's very important what you're doing. The police are supposed to keep order but they also have to respect people's rights." Three men stayed across the street from the picket and for maybe 10 minutes yelled, "Communists, go back to Russia."

The protesters decided to plan another demonstration the next week.

Rollande Girard is a member of the United Steelworkers of America (USWA) Local 7609. Ernie Mailhot is a member of International Association of Machinists Local 1126.

GRINNELL, Iowa - Responding to a call to rally against a military strike on Iraq, 130 students came out to hear speakers and music on the campus of Grinnell College February 16. The protest was sponsored by RISE, a student organization that educates about and organizes to fight oppression.

Taimur Rahman, a leader of RISE, used his talk to raise questions about the propaganda campaign the US government is waging to win support for their war drive. "Is there anyone here who thinks the US government is doing this for idealistic reasons? Or that just maybe, in spite of everything, some good will come of this?" The students answered back with a loud "NO!"

Tom Alter, Socialist Workers candidate for governor in Iowa put the war drive in the framework of the war against working people at home and abroad. "They say we're in a business upturn, but what we get is downsizing and speedup in the workplace. The state legislature has also been on another push to reinstate the death penalty, a weapon of terror aimed at working people." Alter called on the students to take an internationalist approach to solidarity.

A table full of literature set up by a team of Socialist Workers Party members and Young Socialists attracted lots of attention at the Grinnell College campus in Grinnell, Iowa. The team spent a day on campus talking to students about Washington's war drive, why socialists support abortion rights and what revolutionary socialists stand for. Late in the afternoon, the activists participated in an anti-war rally organized by students.

A dozen people signed up for more information on the Young Socialists, 26 bought copies of the Militant, and one person purchased a copy of New International no. 7, "The Opening Guns of World War III" along with three other books.

Tim Mailhot is a member of USWA Local 310.

`Militant' Editor To Speak At Harvard

Militant editor Naomi Craine will be speaking at Harvard University the evening of Tuesday, March 3, on "Washington's War Drive against Iraq," at the invitation of students organizing a "Democracy Teach-In" week on that campus. More information on the event will appear in next week's issue.  
 
 
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