My name is William Dennis Brown Jr., and I'm an honors political science student at Rutgers-Camden. I received an academic scholarship at Rutgers and my family has a proud tradition at Rutgers. I am also a combat veteran Navy SEAL. On March 27 at Rutgers-New Brunswick, I wanted to speak to the anti-war protesters assembled at the Vietnam War memorial located on campus.
I asked if I could speak, and one anti-war protester informed me it was an open microphone. I had then expressed my willingness to speak and waited patiently behind the area where the anti-war speakers were speaking. The anti-war organizers then directed Rutgers police officers to not allow me the right to speak. The police officers stated it was for my safety. I assured them that I was willing to take that risk in order to have the opportunity to address the crowd.
This is what I wanted to say: By marching on a recruiting station the students are hurting the morale of the young men and women risking their lives for our country. I believe that by marching on Trenton or Washington, D.C. displaying American flags versus Palestinian flags would be a better way to sway political and popular opinion. I wanted to let the anti-war protesters know that I respect their beliefs and admire their passion. But by marching on Military instillation, their march is perceived as anti-military, more so than anti-war. Especially to the young men and women risking their lives for our country overseas. This also deters returning veterans from pursuing a college education because of perceived hostility.
This also gives the political opposition the opportunity to de-legitimize the message of the anti-war protesters by minimizing them as radicals. This decreases the incentive for returning young veterans of enrolling in college because of the perceived hostile college atmosphere toward veterans and military personnel.
I would have never gone to the protest had the anti-war protesters not have marched against the Marine recruiting station. My father has taught me that Rutgers was not only an academic learning environment but also a place for students to exchange ideas. That was one of the big incentives for me choosing Rutgers.
I have honorably fought for our country, I pay my taxes in New Jersey, I'm a Rutgers student and I'm greatly displeased that Rutgers failed to give me the opportunity to express my ideas and beliefs on an open microphone, at a Vietnam War memorial on Rutgers campus. I was also greatly saddened by many of the anti-war protesters' behavior directed toward me in front of the Marine recruiting station.
The most effective civil protests were those of the civil rights era, and these brave men and women used their moral high ground to show our country and the world of the inequalities of racial discrimination that existed. The type of behavior directed at me by my fellow Rutgers students greatly minimizes the persuasiveness and legitimacy of the anti-war protesters.
William Dennis Brown Jr. a Rutgers-Camden junior majoring in criminal justice and political science.
