2008 Woodie Awards
Military recruiters win place on college campuses
Emily Mead, Editor in Chief
Issue date: 3/15/06 Section: Editorial
Election season is always one of my favorite times at SSU; the campus is bursting at the seams with political minions accosting unsuspecting students walking to class. I remember one specific incident involving a Kucinich campaign volunteer who was handing out flyers explaining the candidate's position on the war in Iraq. The quad in front of Stevenson seemed to be their preferred hunting grounds, so I stepped cautiously on my way to the lecture hall, but to no avail. Just moments before I reached the door, I was attacked. I politely responded to the young man, "No thank you, I don't agree with Kucinich's stance on the war in Iraq." The moment I saw the fury in this man's eyes, I knew I should have taken the flyer. "You want thousands of innocent people to die then?!" he shrieked. "Yes," I replied. "That's exactly what I said."
Regardless of the mayhem that ensues every time political campaigns reach SSU, I understand the need for them. Candidates from every end of the political spectrum have the right to campaign; after all, they did spend all that money making those flyers.
All this came to mind recently when I heard about another decision upheld unanimously by the Supreme Court to allow military recruiters on college campuses. As a means of justifying the removal of military recruiters from their schools, many colleges have objected to the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gays. The 8-0 decision upheld a federal law that says universities must give the military the same access as other recruiters or forfeit federal money. The majority of schools who rely heavily upon federal monies have backed out of their decisions while some, like the Vermont Law School, have opted to stand by the policies and forfeit their federal grants.
This, of course, is not the end of the debate regarding military recruiters on college campuses. However, being that we are in the middle of a war, it is unlikely that a decision will come down tying the hands of the military.
Regardless of the mayhem that ensues every time political campaigns reach SSU, I understand the need for them. Candidates from every end of the political spectrum have the right to campaign; after all, they did spend all that money making those flyers.
All this came to mind recently when I heard about another decision upheld unanimously by the Supreme Court to allow military recruiters on college campuses. As a means of justifying the removal of military recruiters from their schools, many colleges have objected to the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gays. The 8-0 decision upheld a federal law that says universities must give the military the same access as other recruiters or forfeit federal money. The majority of schools who rely heavily upon federal monies have backed out of their decisions while some, like the Vermont Law School, have opted to stand by the policies and forfeit their federal grants.
This, of course, is not the end of the debate regarding military recruiters on college campuses. However, being that we are in the middle of a war, it is unlikely that a decision will come down tying the hands of the military.