 "Photo: photo courtesy of Matt O'Donnell")
This weekend, 16,000 people participated in a funeral march for eight individuals slain 15 years ago. The victims were six Jesuit priests and two church members. The funeral march was held outside the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation in Fort Benning, Ga.
The funeral march was part of a weekend-long protest against the WHISC, formerly named the School of the Americas. It is still commonly referred to by that name.
WHISC is a tax payer-funded military school for Latin Americans. The school has been under scrutiny for allegedly training militants who later committed civil rights abuses and murder.
On Nov. 16, 1989, members of the Salvadorian military murdered six Jesuit priests and two female co-workers in El Salvador. Some of the Salvadorian military that murdered the Jesuits had been trained at the SOA or by generals trained at the SOA.
Because of this incident, thousands of people gather outside the gates of the school annually on the anniversary of the Jesuits' murder. The majority of Jesuit universities and high schools send students or faculty members to the annual protest. This year, Loyola sent approximately 80 people to the protest.
"[Loyola is] a Jesuit school that promotes a faith that does justice," Rachel Hart, University Ministry chaplain and an organizer of the event, said. "It was a powerful experience, and I felt privileged to be there voicing my concern for justice."
Even though members of the administration, including the Rev. Michael J. Garanzini, Loyola's president, supported the SOA protestors, the Unified Student Government voted not to issue a statement of support for the student protestors.
The measure did not pass by a vote of 21-19 at USG's Nov. 9 senate meeting.
According to junior Erica Badie, president of USG, the legislation passed last year.
"While we do service projects, uphold the Jesuit ideals and support the university's mission statement, the majority [of USG] did not feel legislation of this nature was in our scope," Badie said. "In a nutshell, the simple majority felt it was not a matter of USG direct concern, it was not our place as a student governing body to support protesting in any form."
Junior Charles Frommelt, USG vice president of academic affairs, voted against issuing the support statement.
"I don't think that it is important for the USG to vote on the [WHISC] trip because I don't feel as though the USG should be voting on any legislation that is either against or supporting any student protesting," Frommelt said. Frommelt said that the legislation was important to those in favor of the protest.
"I think the legislation is important to the protestors and to the part of the student body that supports the protestors," Frommelt said. "I think that they feel the legislation is important because I think that they would like the written support of the USG."
This year, junior Alena Chaps went on the trip for her fourth time. She disagreed with USG's decision to not issue a statement of support.
"We're committed to representing Loyola and supporting social justice -- which is the mission of the school," Chaps said. "I think we should have the school's complete support, including the student government." Chaps noted that Garanzini, University Mission and Ministry and the Jesuit community supported the students' trip.
One student organizer for the trip, junior Quinn Colling, feels that the majority of the student body is in support of the trip but that many -- such as members of USG - are uninformed on the issue.
"I am disappointed with the USG not supporting this legislation as they had in years past," Colling said. "I feel that the board is not very reflective on the student body."
Likewise, sophomore Emily Vanney, another student organizer, was bothered by USG's vote on the legislation.
"I couldn't help but feel betrayed by USG," Vanney said. "Especially [considering] Fr. Garanzini, before we left for Georgia, came to tell us how proud he is of what we're doing and how proud the rest of the university is as well."
Vanney said that USG members did not need to agree with the views of the protestors to show a sign of support for students standing up for an issue they believe in. However, she realized that the decision by the small majority of USG senate members is not necessarily a reflection of all members of the university.
"One thing that makes me feel better is that the views of USG may not be indicative of the views of the student body as a whole," Vanney said. Even though USG voted against issuing an official sign of support, Badie said the body does not condemn the SOA protestors' actions. Badie noted that the annual vote changes depending on the constituents represented year to year.
"I know for a fact that all persons dissenting on this legislation wish the students the best of luck in their protesting endeavors," Badie said. "However, they did not feel it was USG's job to make that sentiment a formal document."
Senior Nicole Garland, the communications vice president for Marquette University student government, said the SOA protest is a "hot issue" at many Jesuit schools.
"I am surprised that Loyola's student government would not support the students in this important annual event," Garland said.
Even though the MUSG made no public endorsement of the School of the Americas' trip, Garland said the MUSG voted to endorse the trip through approving its funding request.
At Marquette, MUSG's allocation committee must vote on organizations that request over $1,500 funding for events. This year, as in previous years, Marquette's Jesuit University Students Together In Concern Empowerment group requested several thousand dollars to fund the majority of the group's trip to Ft. Benning.
Garland said that MUSG voted to fund the trip because it supported the university's mission statement.
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