The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 3/22/07 Section: News

Ben Schrader, a Sophomore political sciences and sociology major, voices his opinion Wednesday evening during ASCSU's discussion of proposed bill #3619. Schrader, a veteran of the War in Iraq, is the ASCSU senator sponsoring the bill, which would support the Colorado Senate Joint Memorial 07-002 in urging the Congress and President to respect patriotism of the American citizens and not deepen the military interest in Iraq.

Following a back-and-forth debate that lasted more than three hours, the Associated Students of CSU voted to pass a resolution Wednesday night denouncing a troop escalation in the Iraq War.

The CSU student government passed in a 12-8 vote for Resolution 3619, a non-binding resolution supporting opposition to President Bush's decision to send over 20,000 additional troops to Iraq.

Senators ping-ponged on whether a student voting body should make a stance on issues normally reserved for state and national lawmakers. At least one of two senators who abstained did so based on this argument.

"We are simply not privy to all the information that make an informed decision possible," said Blake Gibson, a sophomore health and exercise science major. "This bill has an impact beyond our ability."

The resolution is sponsored by Iraq War veteran Ben Schrader who supported the conflict at the start, but after serving a year in the war-torn region, Schrader said he was not about to support it.

"Before I went to Iraq I was in support of what we were doing, but once I was there and saw all the horrible things, I had to be against it," said Schrader, a sophomore political science and sociology major.

Freshman political science major Travis Hall said he appreciated the debate but it wasn't the place of ASCSU to make such a decision.

"This debate needs to take place but if you take a stance on this it's going to alienate a lot of people," Hall said.

Luke Ragland, a junior political science major and director of ASCSU legislative affairs, said part of the inspiration to kick-start such a bill came from a visit to the State Senate.

Continued...

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