The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Teach-in delves into looming war

Ginny Skalski

Daily Egyptian

As Congress continues debating whether it should authorize force against Iraq, SIUC students and community members will have an opportunity to learn more about the issue so they can weigh in on the debate during a teach-in about Iraq tonight.

Eight speakers will share different perspectives and information about the U.S.-led movement for war against Iraq during the teach-in at 7 tonight in the University Museum Auditorium.

"It's a very serious decision, and we wanted to provide a forum that could provide information and various views and provide discussion and debate about whether or not our country should be involved," said Deidre Hughes, a teaching assistant in history who helped coordinate the event

The teach-in will begin with a panel discussion that will lay out the Bush administration's argument for going to war. Political Science professor Al Melone will then discuss the legality of Congress' war-making power.

Melone said that by giving the president broad powers to commit troops to combat, Congress is giving away its constitutional power and responsibility to declare war.

"I imagine many students haven't thought about who makes war under this American Constitution system," Melone said. "It's [students'] lives that very well may be at stake here. They themselves may be called to war. It's a possibility and it may affect the economy of the country ? it affects their lives and they ought to at least be concerned and teach themselves."

Other speakers include Michael Batinski, James Downhour and Robbie Lieberman from the History Department, philosophy professor Tom Alexander and student activists Jo Monahan and Lisa Tozer. There will also be a representative from the International Student Council to share part of the international perspective of going to war. The speakers will address peaceful activism against the war, the parallels between the current threat for war and the Vietnam War and involvement in the peace movement.

"It's a difficult subject to understand. You get blurbs of information from the news and it's hard to piece it together, and it's hard to do the research behind this," Hughes said. "The idea is to raise awareness for students and community members so they can become informed and develop an opinion and express it to their elective representative."

Tony Di Domenico, a senior in University studies from Chicago, plans to attend the teach-in to get different perspectives on the issue. Although Di Domenico is against going to war, he hopes students and community members with all different viewpoints will attend the teach-in.

"It gives students a more rounded point of view and promotes democracy," Di Domenico said.

Following the panel discussion, attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions and debate the issue. Attendees will also be encouraged to contact Senators Dick Durbin and Peter Fitzgerald to express their opinions.

"It's [a student's] duty as a citizen of this country to let their representative know how they feel about their nation going to war," Hughes said.

Reporter Ginny Skalski can be reached at

gskalski@dailyegyptian.com

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