Connecticut Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro plans to meet with University students from the group Students for Ending the War in Iraq in response to multiple anti-war demonstrations and a writing campaign.
On Friday, 43 students from the group joined 30 members of the New Haven Peace Council and Yale University to demonstrate in front of DeLauro’s office in New Haven. A Democrat, DeLauro represents the state’s third congressional district, which includes Middletown. Members of Students for Ending the War in Iraq claim that she has not acted on her publicized disapproval of the war in Iraq.
“’Less talk, more action’ was the theme of the campaign,” said event organizer Erik Rosenberg ’08. “DeLauro says she wants troops out before the end of 2006. Well, you’ve talked the talk. Now let’s see some action behind your words.”
DeLauro has criticized the war during past floor speeches to the U.S. House of Representatives.
“I want to be clear, I do not want to stay the course with this policy—which will make us less safe, undermine our military, help the insurgents, cost many thousands of lives and cost another trillion dollars,” she said on June 15, 2006 to the House. “This Congress has never held the president and his administration accountable, never done anything but say, ‘stay the course, more of the same’—even when there was no plan.”
Students first demonstrated outside of DeLauro’s office on Sept. 22. On Friday, they again hoped to remind the Congresswoman of the gravity of the war and its importance to her constituents.
“We want to show DeLauro that we have leverage and we are serious about this issue,” Rosenberg said. “Although the election is over, the war is not. Democrats were elected on an anti-war vote, and they have an obligation to end the war.”
DeLauro was in Washington, D.C. on Friday, as she was during the demonstration in September. She will determine a date to meet with Students for Ending the War in Iraq when she returns. The meeting will be her first with an anti-war group in eight years.
“Rosa’s position has been consistent from the start,” said DeLauro’s Press Secretary Kate Cyrul. “She looks forward to hearing the students’ concerns when she meets with them.”
Students left campus on a yellow school bus, carrying signs with slogans such as “Responsibility on Iraq now falls to Congress,” “Peace Now!” and “I voted for you, now vote to end the war.”
At the rally, the Hill People performed original music, as well as classic anti-war songs such as “I Ain’t Marching Anymore” by Phil Ochs. Students brought guitars, empty water jugs, and records to play along. The group sang “We Shall Overcome” and chanted “Jobs and education! Not war and occupation!”
“It was my first anti-war rally,” said participant Josh Wood ’10. “It was louder and more active than I had expected. It was great to use your voice and actions, rather than just being a number in a crowd.”
Students were successful in making noise. Policemen were stationed across the street from the demonstration, making sure that the group did not block pedestrians or violate laws. Many motorists honked their horns in support while driving by or stopped to talk with students.
“A couple of women parked their cars and came to join us,” Wood said. “We were just reminding people that this war is still going on and that people care about the cause and are willing to take it to the streets.”
Two of New Haven’s largest newspapers, the New Haven Register and the New Haven Advocate, both covered the event.
Present efforts within Congress against the war include House bill HR 4232, proposed by Rep. James McGovern (D-MA), which would prohibit funding to deploy more U.S. troops to Iraq. Under the bill, the Department of Defense would allot funds only for the withdrawal of troops, consultations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United Nations (UN), and aid for Iraqi security forces or international forces.
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