MSNBC: 85 HS students sit-in to protest direction the nation is taking

Maddy McCall

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Fri Nov-05-04 12:54 PM
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MSNBC: 85 HS students sit-in to protest direction the nation is taking

Edited on Fri Nov-05-04 01:15 PM by jchild

Just on MSNBC. 85 Boulder High School students have been holding a sit-in in their school's library to protest the direction the nation is taking.

And who said young folks are apathetic?

Looking for a link now.

:yourock: Boulder kids!!

EDIT TO ADD LINK:

http://www.casperstartribune.net/apdata/wire_detail.php?wire_num=40707

Worried students spend night in school to protest direction of country
By P. SOLOMON BANDA

Associated Press Writer

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - At least 85 students worried about war, a return of the draft and the future of the environment staged an overnight protest in the Boulder High School library before leaving peacefully Friday morning.

The students said they wanted assurances from political leaders about the direction of the country. Rep. Mark Udall, D-Colo., met with some of the students for about an hour after they left the library at 7 a.m.

''We're worried that in four years we're going to be at war with five countries and we're going to have no trees,'' senior Cameron Ely-Murdock said. ''I know that's an extreme position, but I'm really worried about the draft,'' he said.

President Bush and other administration officials have repeatedly said they have no plans to reinstate a draft, despite concerns about the number of troops needed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Principal Ron Cabrera agreed to let the students spend the night in the library if they would leave in time for Friday morning classes, which they did. A handful of teachers and parents stayed with them.

snip/

The sit-in began after school Thursday. The students, who brought sleeping bags and food, said they were not protesting Bush's re-election but were worried about the national debt, Iraq and other issues. The students said they wanted to talk to representatives of GOP Gov. Bill Owens and U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo. Musgrave sponsored the failed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

There's a little bit more at the link.

And thanks, DUer kagehime; here's the Boulder Camera report:

http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/schools/article/0,1713,BDC_2488_3306287,00.html

About 85 Boulder High students camped out in the school library after classes Thursday, saying they wouldn't leave until Republican Party representatives pay them a visit.

Most of the students are too young to vote. But they said they're disgusted with the Bush administration's national debt, military recruitment in schools and disregard for the environment.

snip/

Although they organized the demonstration upon learning that President Bush had been re-elected, they emphasized that they were not protesting the election.

"We're protesting our futures, or lack thereof," said senior Travis Moe who works on the students' liberal "Student Worker" newspaper.

Several "Peace" flags hung from the bookshelves in the library. On the wall, crooked black markings proclaimed, "We are the generation that will have to take on and suffer from the burden."

The mostly female group sat on the floor and on tables, laughing, shaking maracas and patting drums to the time of a Pink Floyd song. Some played board games, read poetry and studied. Organizers called Republican officials on a speaker phone and left messages.

Much more at link above.