Approximately 7,000 to 11,000 people, including members of the Loyola University Community Action Program, protested the School Of Americas last weekend.
“We’re just trying to educate people about the School Of Americas,” said Mary Burckell, Catholic studies junior and LUCAP public relations chairwoman. “We want people to think about it and question it.”
The SOA is a U.S.-financed school that teaches counterinsurgency, sniper skills, interrogation and military intelligence to Latin American soldiers.
“I think the SOA has good intentions and really wants to help the people in Central and South America,” said Burckell. “But, I don’t agree with the way they’re going about it because they are teaching their own people torture techniques.”
The protest, which began on Saturday, brought many people of different motivations and goals together.
“I feel like the protest created a real feeling of solidarity between peace organizers and people who feel strongly about United States intervention in Latin American countries,” said Allison Drevich, LUCAP chairwoman and sociology senior.
“It’s always encouraging to see other people working for justice because sometimes you feel alone,” said Jeff Guhin, sociology and English senior and LUCAP special affairs co-chair.
Later on Saturday there was an Ignatian Family Teach-In Mass involving many Jesuit high schools, colleges, universities, parishes, and volunteer groups.
“The Mass confirmed that social justice isn’t in addition to my Catholicism – it is fundamental to it,” said Guhin.
LUCAP prepared for its weekend long protest with a vigil that consisted of prayer, singing, and reflection. The vigil took place in order to get the attendees mentally and spiritually ready.
LUCAP consists of more than 600 students, and it is impossible for members of a group that size not to have differences.
But they had to set those differences aside and come together under a single banner.
“LUCAP is anti-terrorism,” said Drevich. “The SOA sponsors terrorism and that’s why we’re not in support of them.”
Even though LUCAP went out to protest the SOA, the whole weekend was not spent picketing and chanting.
“Sunday was more solemn,” said Guhin.
“Thousands of people placed crosses with names on them, stars of David, Crescents, and other religious symbols on the Fort Benning’s fence; it was beautiful.”
“It really made me feel a lot stronger,” said Drevich on her overall experience of the protest. “Being there with all the other Jesuit universities really reinforced my feelings that I am practicing a faith that strives for social justice.”
(Emmanuel David)
Protestors participate in a die-in at the gates of Fort Benning in Georgia on Sunday as part of the larger protest of the former School of the Americas. Several Loyola students traveled to Georgia for the protest. (Gillian Dicker)
Fr. Peter Bernardi, S.J., a faculty member from Loyola looks on as the main protest is begins Sunday. Every year, the Loyola University Community Action Program sends students and faculty to Georgia for the protest, which is organized by SOA Watch. (Gillian Dicker)
Picketers wave signs and wear arm and head bands during a parade leading up to the main School of the Americas protest last weekend in Fort Benning, Ga. (Emmanuel David)
