Staff Editorial | Interest in Iraq war shifts, death toll rises

On Oct. 23, Staff Sgt. George Alexander Jr., 34, died in a Texas hospital. He died from injuries caused by an improvised explosive device in Iraq. He was the 2,000th United States combat fatality since the start of the war 32 months ago.

How was this event marked at Vassar? Outwardly, there was very little reaction, compared to when the war first began. When the United States invaded Iraq in March of 2003, student and administration response was remarkable. Upon arriving back from that year's spring break, students were greeted with an array of events geared towards educating the Vassar community about the war. There was a day-long panel discussion in the Villard room, class periods were dedicated to the issue and the Vassar Student Association offered up a variety of anti-war resolutions for approval by the student body.

Shortly after that, President Fergusson signed a “Not In Our Name” letter against the war, along with dozens of other public figures. This intense period of education and discussion continued for months afterwards, maintained by continuing lectures devoted to pertinent topics such as Middle East history, American politics and the Iraq war.

When the 2,000th U.S. service member died last Saturday, the milestone passed quietly at Vassar. Student groups were silent, and there was an outward silence on the campus. The Poughkeepsie Journal, usually an important source for information on this campus, did not mention it until five days later, and then only in passing. It would seem that the College, distracted by midterms, allegations of racism, and the end of October break, wanted nothing to do with this war.

And yet, the College is now responding in positive ways, even if they are less visible. With events such as Eyes Wide Open, the Gays in the Military lecture series, and a local candle light vigil, we as a community are certainly not ignoring the war. Vassar students routinely attend peace rallies in New York City and Washington, D.C., as demonstrated when campus groups organized for last semester's rally in the nation's capital. In class, professors are creating environments in which we can think critically about the war, and move away from the tired ideological arguments of the recent past. As community members, we take these discussions outside of our classrooms, and into our dorm rooms, amongst our fellow students. We bring it home with us over break and talk about it with our friends and family outside of Vassar.

Actions such as these prove that the College is not completely avoiding the war. We are continuing with the program of education that began almost three years ago, when the war began. But these discussions ought to continue, and not fade with time. As the war continues, our nation is beginning to search for solutions to problems that do not have easy answers. Only by taking a sober look at where we are now, and reviewing it critically, can we move past whether this war was right or wrong, and what we can do from here.