TCOWI rallies outlast war

Among cries of "bring our troops home" and the falling flakes of a spring snowstorm, the Tufts Coalition to Oppose War in Iraq (TCOWI) gathered on the Tisch library patio yesterday to reinvigorate support of their opposition to US policies in Iraq.

The general sentiment at the rally was that the Bush administration had no right to keep U.S. troops in Iraq since the formal end of the hostilities on May 1 of last year, and that the present government of U.S.-appointed leaders was as unjust as the war.

In addition to a strong showing from the English and history departments, a number of local residents were present.

Joseph Ramsey, a graduate student in English, led the rally and introduced speakers. Although the forum was shared equally, Ramsey was the most vehement in his criticism of U.S. policies. He stressed that "the end of attacks on civil liberties in Iraq will bring an end of attacks on civil liberties in the U.S."

"The war on terrorism is like the Cold War in that the enemy, terrorism [or] communism, is not tangible," history professor Gary Leupp said. "Bush uses rhetoric such as 'terrorism' and 'evil' to describe his enemies so no one can say he's in the wrong."

During the speeches, demonstrators handed out fliers to passersby, encouraging them to join the tight circle of speakers. Despite the central location and the music on the stereo, few undergraduates were part of the group.