The Nation: Antiwar Students Rock the Vote

[dajabr]

Three years ago, Chantel Azadeh, 23, an antiwar activist at the University of California, Irvine, would never have imagined herself working on an electoral campaign. Ghafari, who belongs to an anarchist group called People Organized against War, Empire and Rulers, wasn't exactly the incremental-change type--and she certainly didn't see much difference between the Democrats and the Republicans. But 2004 may be different. "The last two years have done a number on a lot of people's minds," she says. "You might be surprised to hear this from an anti-authoritarian, an anarchist, but this election I plan on getting involved. I think it's crucial that we get Bush out of the White House."

Protests against Bush's war on Iraq drew more students than any other recent protest movement, and they were younger, more working-class and more racially and geographically diverse. Now it looks as if that protest energy may provide momentum for the 2004 elections. The enthusiastic volunteerism of right-wing students played a significant role in electing George W. Bush. It stands to reason, then, that progressive students, if equally savvy, could help toss him out. Azadeh is now planning to devote herself to that project, joining many other antiwar students who have been skeptical about electoral politics in the past.

More: http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20030804&s=featherstone

[WatchWhatISay]

1. Oh please let this be true!

Political maturity could save us all. It's not about selling out. Its about accepting the best we can get for now in order to buy time to improve things.