Anti-war org. is back
Lev D. Zilbermints
Issue date: 3/21/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
An anti-war student organization that rose to notoriety in the 1960s, is staging a comeback with hopes that Rutgers-Newark will stand up to the Iraq War.
The Students for a Democratic Society was originally founded in 1960 and became well-known for its marches during the Vietnam War Era. One anti-war march in 1967 drew 25,000 people. However, by 1969, factionalism tore the organization apart, according to a Columbia Encyclopedia.
The organization held a meeting in Hill Hall on March 7, focusing on informing the students about the history of the SDS, its goals and what is next. Nearly a dozen students attended the first meeting.
"SDS has no particular national belief. It is a participatory democracy and strives to create opportunities for all groups," said Sidra Sheikh, a junior history major at R-N. "Young people are agents of change."
Sheikh said that the group came back to life when Patrick Korte, a senior at Connecticut's Stonington High School, got in touch with former SDS members in the Fall of 2005 and created a website. From there, numerous chapters started forming.
According to the SDS website, there are currently 246 SDS chapters all over the country.
University College student Mark Yu briefed students about upcoming events. On March 20, over 60 high schools and colleges will be participating in a national walk-out from classes to protest the Iraq War. On March 24, SDS members will be participating in a Peoples Rally Against War at Essex County College.
SDS members also participated in the anti-war march at the Pentagon on Saturday.
The Students for a Democratic Society was originally founded in 1960 and became well-known for its marches during the Vietnam War Era. One anti-war march in 1967 drew 25,000 people. However, by 1969, factionalism tore the organization apart, according to a Columbia Encyclopedia.
The organization held a meeting in Hill Hall on March 7, focusing on informing the students about the history of the SDS, its goals and what is next. Nearly a dozen students attended the first meeting.
"SDS has no particular national belief. It is a participatory democracy and strives to create opportunities for all groups," said Sidra Sheikh, a junior history major at R-N. "Young people are agents of change."
Sheikh said that the group came back to life when Patrick Korte, a senior at Connecticut's Stonington High School, got in touch with former SDS members in the Fall of 2005 and created a website. From there, numerous chapters started forming.
According to the SDS website, there are currently 246 SDS chapters all over the country.
University College student Mark Yu briefed students about upcoming events. On March 20, over 60 high schools and colleges will be participating in a national walk-out from classes to protest the Iraq War. On March 24, SDS members will be participating in a Peoples Rally Against War at Essex County College.
SDS members also participated in the anti-war march at the Pentagon on Saturday.
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