The United States Student Association (USSA) and its millions of members across the country believe that we all have a responsibility to question the actions of our government. The �war on terrorism� that our government has started has gone unchecked for too long. The casualties of this war are too many to name.
We have heard many people say this is the time to stand together and to show the world the meaning of patriotism, freedom, and democracy. We believe patriotism, freedom, and democracy are about people holding our leaders accountable. There has not yet been a serious national debate about the ramifications of war and our place in the international community. USSA believes it is time to have that debate.
Winning an election does not mean total autonomy from the electorate. Since 9/11 our nation�s leaders have been on a shopping spree. They have bought our rights and paid in empty promises of safety. We have seen a war started, our civil liberties curtailed, and our privacy invaded. The anti-terrorism bill and the USA PATRIOT Act have only succeeded in adding another casualty to the thousands we have seen since September 11: freedom.
Immediately following September 11, hundreds of requests poured into college registrar�s offices for international student records, including their country of origin. If that wasn�t enough, Congress then passed damaging legislation that allows law enforcement access to practically every aspect of our lives.
Instead of mourning the loss of our basic freedoms, we saw people blindly cheering for what they thought to be a safer country. Things people often take for granted: making a phone call, mailing a letter, having a conversation in your own home, are now subject to intense scrutiny by our government.
USSA is also opposed to the military action our government has taken since September 11 in our name. We believe the loss of human life anywhere in the world is a tragedy. We are deeply disturbed by the military action the United States is taking in the name of all of its citizens, adding more people to the already lengthy list of casualties we have all endured since last fall is not the answer. Indeed, it only exacerbates the problem. Destroying the resources of an already impoverished nation does not promote peace and justice.
We will not stand idly by while our brothers and sisters are subject to racial profiling and hate crimes because of their race and religion. We recognize that any racist backlash that occurs affects all of our communities. There is little difference between a hate crime against another and ourselves. Just as we shouldn�t give our nation�s leaders free reign, neither should we hand it over to law enforcement officers. Young people on college campuses are especially subject to the harsh racist policies of law enforcement, and we will not allow students to become yet another casualty in these uncertain times.
There should not be any more casualties in this war. We must work to stop this. USSA is calling for students to stand together in the name of freedom, democracy and real patriotism. We believe that it is time for us to ask questions, not just over lunch with friends or in class with professors, but publicly.
Our history and the history of the student movement are deeply rooted in the voices of dissent we have heard throughout history. Students� voices were not the first to dissent, but they will be the loudest.
Julie Beatty is the President of the United States Student Association. Kristy Ringor is the Communications Directors of USSA.
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