At 5 p.m., Jan. 24, war Protesters from all walks of life lit a candle and stood shoulder-to-shoulder around Mecom Fountain at Montrose Boulevard and Main Street downtown.

The weekly candlelight vigil, which began in October, is sponsored by the Houston Coalition for Justice not War, occurs from 5 to 8 p.m. every Friday. Since October, gatherers have grown in number from 20 to more than 100.

"We haven't had too many problems with hecklers," said David Courtney, member of the Houston Coalition for Justice not War. "In fact, as we approach this war, we have seen many one fingers change to two fingers."

A few activists established HCJNW Sept. 12, 2001, following the terrorist attacks on America. Rob Kalvin, who helped spearhead the coalition, stood before the Houston City Council Chambers Jan. 22 and proposed that the city of Houston adopt a resolution to oppose war in Iraq.

"We fear and are strongly against any preemptive strike," said Kalvin, who was also involved in San Francisco protests against the Vietnam War during the '60s.

At 1:30 p.m., Jan. 25, nearly 200 peace campaigners gathered at the Fiesta parking lot on the corner of 75th Street and Lawndale Street. Sponsored by the Progressive Worker's Organizing Committee, a march preceded a rally held at Mason Park on 75th Street and Tipps Street, where peace advocates protested the potential war.

PWOC founder Rona Smith, a current UH-Clear Lake graduate student in the School of Education, and her husband and co-founder David Smith, predict war in Iraq will increase hatred around the world and promote other terrorist attacks like Sept. 11.

David Smith, professor of government at College of the Mainland in Texas City, kicked off the rally and was followed by other key organization leaders, musicians and poetry readers opposing war actions.

"I'm not a pacifist. This war is unnecessary and immoral," David Smith said. "Scores of thousands of innocent people in Iraq and many Americans will die, and improper dictatorship will be installed."

About eight members of the Houston Area Texans, an affiliate chapter of conservative online network FreeRepublic.com, assembled to counter-dispute peace protests during the three-hour rally.

"War is not always avoidable," said James Tomberlin, four-year member of FreeRepublic.com. "I don't think we have a choice with this one."

Members of Houston Area Texans held a forum at Floyd's Cajun Kitchen at 1200 Durham St. in the Heights after the peace rally to confer ways to support U.S. troops.

With the pressing war, more and more grassroots activities are sprouting up throughout Houston, including petition signings, graffiti paintings and banner droppings.

"It is against the law to affix a sign above a freeway, but if you stand and hold it, you are merely exercising your civil right- freedom of speech," said Lynn Furay, organizer of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Houston chapter.

"War should be the last option and one which carries the stigma of failure in the diplomatic arena," Courtney said.

Deployed students tackle more than school work
by Lindsay Tefteller
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

As the possibility of war in Iraq increases every day, so does the number of deployed soldiers in the Reserve. Among those being called to duty are hundreds of college students throughout the nation.

The Reserve constitutes nearly half of the U.S. Military force-46.8 percent according to the Department of Defense. The United States currently has 1.22 million people in the Ready Reserves. To date, 78,906 National Guard and Reserve members are on active duty.

For many students at UH- Clear Lake, the difficulty of juggling a family, a job and a full course load is hard enough. College students in the Reserves face an even greater challenge-serving their country.

In times of peace, members of the Reserve help support disaster relief operations at home and abroad. Reservists also assist in homeland security-an issue that becomes more important every day. In times of war, members of the Reserve provide the extra manpower necessary to protect and fight for the United States.

Just as there are innumerable advantages to receiving a college degree, there are benefits in being a part of the Reserve. Federal grants and loans help to pay for most, if not all, college tuition for reservists.

If a student is deployed, he or she is put on Administrative Withdraw. When this happens, the student receives a full refund for the semester, and any loan or financial aid the student is granted is not lost or held against him or her. The student is able to re-enroll and does not lose any college credit.

"Right now it's like a normal leave," said Deshon Smith, financial aid specialist and former Army reservist. "Everything should be the same for the students when they get back."

The specialized training and skills that are acquired in the Reserve prepares students for careers in fields such as communication, administration and medicine. Reservists also receive many of the same benefits as those on active duty, including paid vacation, medical and dental care, life insurance, and post-exchange and commissary shopping.

Reservists enjoy regular civilian freedoms-they drive their own cars, have jobs, live in their own homes, and wear civilian clothing.

On the other hand, members of the Reserve face extreme danger. If deployed, they leave the security of their homes and jobs to travel to volatile countries like Iraq and Afghanistan to fight for the United States.

In his State of the Union address Jan. 29., President Bush directly spoke to the men and women of the armed forces concerning the prospect of war with Iraq.

"Your training has prepared you. Your honor will guide you. You believe in America and America believes in you," Bush said.

Smith, who was stationed in Bosnia in 1996, has first-hand knowledge of what life is like for soldiers on active duty.

"Imagine walking down Bay Area Boulevard and it's totally deserted and there's bullet holes in everything. That's what Bosnia was like," Smith said. "And we were just keeping the peace there, not fighting. Doing guard duty at three or four in the morning in the snow and the mud makes you want to go back home more than anything."

Soldiers have no way of knowing whether or not they will return to the people and places they love.

Nina Perez, executive secretary for the dean of students, just said goodbye to her 19-year-old nephew George Valdez. Valdez, who is on active duty in the Marines, just left for Kuwait.

"Before he left he gave his mother all the legal papers-his will, power of attorney, everything-in case he doesn't come back," Perez said. "It makes it a very final thing." He is ready to go serve his country. He feels confident, and he's proud to serve. We're very proud of him, but it's painful and it's very scary to say goodbye. We're praying for peace."

Sgt. Brandon T. Jacobs
U.S.M.C.
1-28-03

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