Students and staff of DU debated what mediator and director of community action Glenn Fee called “a very touchy subject” of patriotism and the war in Iraq at last week’s Fishbowl Discussion.
The discussion was set up like a “dining room conversation” with a group of five students stating their opinions on the subject while the others listen then share their response. Joi Kush, a junior who is in training as a Marine, said as a soldier she feels there is “an anti-war sentiment.” Kit Lancaster, who is in the US army, said that what motivates him as a soldier is to serve his country. As far as soldiers disagreeing with the war, he said, “Even if I disagree with it, I’d go.”
“It’s an opportunity to spread good will,” he explained.
Senior Mike Craig, who was very active in the anti-war movement, said he feels tied to the war because his brother is in Iraq. He said he feels that the reasons politicians give the soldiers are different than the real reasons we are at war.
Kush shared some of her training experience as a Marine. “At trainings, we would watch the bombings in Iraq. It was drilled in your mind to kill and not to think.” Although she thinks some of the training is gruesome and cold, she feels like we have an opportunity to do something important in Iraq. Both Kush and Lancaster felt that going into Iraq enables us to “rebuild a nation.”
Kush explained that it can be painful to have other Americans be so against the war in Iraq because in cause they are against the soldiers’ work. “So it makes me ask myself, ‘I just spent three years of my life doing what?'” she asked.
The students argued if we should have tried to stop Saddam Hussein when there are other evil dictators in the world that are doing harm to their countries as well. “I feel that this war is to go for oil,” said junior Nibaha Syed.
Robert Prince, a International Students lecturer, described how some people feel toward their country. “Once while I was flying, I saw people in tears because they were coming home.”
Law professor Nancy Ehreneich said she thought a long time about what patriotism is. “At first, I thought it was caring about the people in my country. Then I thought, I don’t think I care about these people more than other countries.” She said she considered it was being loyal to your country, but didn’t agree with following what the government said. “I think patriotism is the last resort of scandals,” she finally said.
Susan Sterrett, chair of political science, agreed. “They hand out warrants like candy,” she said.
Assistant professor of political science Tom Knecht said it is difficult to define what patriotism is, but he thinks he is loyal to America. “I’m the guy who flies the flag everyday and takes it down when it’s raining,” he explained.
“Even in the Olympics, I root for the Americans every time even though I don’t know anything about winter Olympics.”
Ibrahim Kazerooni strongly disagrees with the movement in Iraq. “The Iraqi situation is worse now than it was when Saddam was in power. I see intolerance and division.”
Vincent Harding of the theology department said he “is absolutely committed to democracy.” But as a democracy, the government “cannot get up in my name and say there are dangers overseas and send my children over there.”
“That’s a bad idea in democracy,” he continued. Although he believes he is patriotic, he said he has a right to say the U.S. should stop the war.
“I don’t want my security to be won at the cost of other people’s security,” he argued. “That seems to me to be very inhuman.”
He also expressed his sincere interest and dedication to discussing the issue of patriotism. “It’s very important that we figure out what it means to be patriotic citizens. Our future depends on people much younger than me to figure it out,” he said.
