University of Minnesota Students for a Democratic Society believe it is necessary to use a diversity of tactics in expressing our outrage over the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the U.S. funding that supports the military occupation of Palestine. Through shutting down recruitment centers, we are not attacking the personality of the soldiers. Rather, we are putting forth our belief that the aforementioned occupations are unjust and cruel and in that respect belong at home in the U.S. Ending recruitment for the day gives at the very least a symbolic measure of our disdain for these occupations. We also believe that students should not have to join the military to pay for their college education. The tactics military recruiters use to encourage young people to join the military are racist, classist and unequal in all respects. Now more than ever it is difficult for young people to get a college degree, and military baiting is in no way ameliorating the process. Supporting the troops does not mean blindly allowing our country to do what it sees fit. It means ensuring that their livelihoods are respected and supported. Throughout Ross AndersonâÄôs âÄúservicesâÄù to The Minnesota Daily, he has pigeonholed individuals into distinct categorical misrepresentations, which washes away our political line as anti-war activists into âÄúpeace-loving beatniks.âÄù Furthermore, Anderson has discriminately left out the offensive signs and chants the College Republicans had on their side. When confronted with a sign that says âÄúFree Waterboarding Tickets,âÄù I cannot help but think of the College Republicans and their supporters as racist bigots who enjoy making jokes about torturous tactics; that is what goes beyond offensive. The College Republicans and their supporters were void of any sort of political agenda and treated the protest as just another frat party where they could chant âÄúDrill Baby DrillâÄù at the top of their lungs. SDS and our supporters are not against the troops. Instead, we believe that their time is better served on the home front, rather than fighting in an unjust and criminal war. Stephanie Taylor wrote this column on behalf of SDS. Please send comments to [email protected].