Sturgis, like many other students on campus, thinks it's time for voices questioning a possible war to be heard.

The current situation stirring between America and Iraq has been given little campus attention ¯ until now.

As one of four people from the university who attended the anti-war rally in Washington, D.C., Oct. 26, Sturgis and others decided on a plan of action for campus if a war were to begin.

They were joined by other area schools as well.

"Students from George Washington University had all college students present at the rally meet to talk about how to begin anti-war movements on their own campuses," he said.

It is now his goal along with a few other students to create a coalition to foster an anti-war movement on campus.

Sturgis wanted to make his opinion clear that opposing the war does not make a person unpatriotic.

"The most patriotic thing one can do is question their government," he said. "By starting an anti-war movement on campus, we want to make people realize that they can't ignore what's going on in the world and that they have to form an opinion.

"People at Wake Forest seem to be passive and indifferent to the outside world.

"We want to show that we have a viewpoint and standup for our opinions."

Sophomore and International Socialist Organization member Nikki Marterre said, "A war is imperialistic and is imposing the U.S.'s will on another country."

As a result of that feeling, she too is aiding in beginning the anti-war movement on campus.

"I thought that Wake was too conservative of a school for a movement like this to pick up," she said. "I'm surprised by all of the questions we're getting about the anti-war movement.

"I think that it will be huge and that so many people are concerned because they were really afraid after September 11."

According to Marterre students are thinking about planning walk outs, teach ins and speak outs to make their ideas known.

But some students on campus think they should be doing otherwise.

"I doubt that an anti-war movement will take hold on campus. The College Republicans have life blood that comes from the students," said senior Tyler Brooks, chairman of the College Republicans.

"The anti-war movement has little support on campus. They'll get their hour or two."

He added, "People who are anti-war against terrorists are effectively pro-terrorists."

About town

While the campus remains divided over the issue of the war, other area students are forming their own opinions as well.

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro has its share of students speaking out against a war in Iraq.

The Campus Anti-War Coalition recently gathered about 40 students to a discussion questioning the war.

The group is planning another speak out Nov. 20

and is attempting to start informal discussions in the dorms to build consciousness.

UNCG sophomore Kristen Robinson thinks fostering debate is one way for students on her side of the issue to get their message out.

"If people aren't challenged to think about this, it's not going to be made an issue," she said.

But building support is difficult since the anti-war movement seems to draw from so many political ideologies. Robinson said the group contains students of the radical left along with unaligned students who simply think the war is a bad idea.

Freshman Laura Bartels thinks this makes it difficult for the coalition to achieve the unity it needs.

Senior Joe Wilbur, editor in chief of the UNCG campus newspaper, The Carolinian, agreed that students against the war are fighting an uphill battle.

But he said there is a significant number of students against or at least questioning the war.

Robinson said she thinks this split has created a buzz on campus about this issue, but Wilbur disagreed.

As to getting students debating the issue in large numbers, he said, "I don't think either side is really doing it very well."

Though there have been no organized public events on the campus of Winston-Salem State, the war is becoming a common topic of conversation.

A WSSU professor was organizing a trip to the rally in D.C. a few weeks ago, but it was canceled due to the threat of the sniper.

Senior Keith Caesar, editor of the student newspaper, the News Argus, thinks many faculty members are becoming interested in the issue, but some students are talking about it as well.

Senior Anthony Nelson, a News Argus reporter, said though a number of students remain uninterested, the war is on many minds.

"Students are acting like they are immune to war which they have watched through Sept. 11 and past situations," he said. "However, there is a good proportion of students conscious of both national and international issues."

Salem College may have been the site of one of the most unique anti-war events, when a group of students staged a "die-in" in front of the campus cafeteria.

Dressed in all black and placing themselves in front of the building with titles such as American Soldier and Iraqi Soldier on their clothing, the women involved meant to demonstrate what they believe will be the human cost of a possible war.

Students involved said the event was met with some support, but relatively little reaction.

Editor of the Salemite, Anne Leak, said this is an example of actions by what she calls "an increasingly vocal minority," that is speaking out against President Bush's stance on Iraq.

She believes, however, that the campus is nearly evenly split over the issue.

The history and political science departments are sponsoring a series of forums on the war and international policy, which is schedule to feature Rep. Richard Burr (R-5) next week, Leak said. Leak said the discussions have been civil and informative despite the divisive nature of the issue.

Party Lines

A number of students are voicing their opinions about the war based on their personal experiences and political ideologies.

For members of the ROTC it doesn't seem to be that easy.

As civilians they may have their own opinions.

Yet as members of the United States Army they declined comment. In response to the current events between the United States and Iraq, students have voiced an array of opinions. Whether students are for or against the war, many said the issue is one that is of great importance to the younger generation.

"We are beginning a new part of history," Brooks said. "We are at an age where the U.S. is the undisputed power in the world and who knows where we will go from there."