In the Feb. 26 article “Time for Peace seeks GSB bill opposing war in Iraq,” Tamim Mahayni said, “[Students signing the petition] is an easy way for them to speak out against war with Iraq and to raise their voices.” He is absolutely right. This is America, more power to him.

The problem is going a step further and attempting to make the voice of Time for Peace that of the entire ISU student body. The GSB resolution that the group is seeking would essentially say to the nation and the world, “All ISU students oppose war with Iraq,” not “800 out of nearly 26,000 students at ISU oppose war.”

This statement is misleading, and it implies unity among ISU students that simply does not exist. More importantly, it stifles and conforms dissenting student opinion at the bidding of a special interest group. When the GSB speaks, it speaks for the whole campus. Time for Peace is not the whole campus.

Time for Peace has every right to speak out and promote its own political ideology, but it does not have the right to exploit the ISU student body in the process. If the GSB is prudent, it will follow Tony Luken’s advice and avoid involvement in this debate altogether.

Mike Loosbrock

Graduate

Computer Science