Every November, protesters from all over the country get together in Ft. Benning, Georg. to hold demonstrations opposing the School of the Americas, or the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. The goal in mind for many, is to shut it down.

An article on the front page of Wednesday’s Daily titled “Child goes with father to protest School of Americas” tells the story of several protesters with ties to Iowa State. It explains, briefly, why they are in Ft. Benning and then goes on to make the protester’s cause sound just. The story doesn’t do an adequate job of reporting both sides of an issue.

Lets start with the background on the School of the Americas.

There is one paragraph dedicated to this. It explains that the institution is responsible for educating Latin American militaries about democracy. It goes on to explain that the school has come “under attack because some of its graduates have been involved in human rights violations in Latin America.”

That’s it. That’s all it said.

The article is correct about some graduates being involved in human rights violations. The school cannot control what goes on after graduation. Why would we blame the school for the actions of a few? I would like to know, why do these people blame the school?

The article made a mistake in reporting who the school teaches as well. According to the school’s Web site, it does train Latin American military personnel, but civilians and police are also accepted. The school is not behind the training of entire militaries, just a few members.

The curriculum was cut short of what it really consists of. The school’s official purpose is “to provide professional education and training to eligible personnel of nations of the Western Hemisphere within the context of the democratic principles set forth in the Charter of the Organization of American States … while fostering mutual knowledge, transparency, confidence, and cooperation among the participating nations and promoting democratic values, respect for human rights, and knowledge and understanding of United States customs and traditions.”

It’s not just military-base; the school is a diplomatic tool as well.

The site goes on to say students are required to take eight hours of “instruction in human rights, the rule of law, due process, civilian control of the military, and the role of the military in a democracy.”

God forbid that we teach people how to run a country similar to ours. But the article fell short in other ways, too.

It tells the story of Nate Jacobi, a former ISU student, and his entourage. He and a group of five others crossed a fence line on to the military base. They knew they were trespassing, but they did it to make a point. Now, they face federal charges. But the story quotes only the School of the Americas Watch, a group dedicated to the closing of the school, and Jacobi himself.

The School of America Watch said “for the first time in our 13-year history of nonviolent civil disobedience, people are being held on $5,000 bond.” That’s right, the quote complains about people being arrested for breaking the law.

Jacobi basically talked about how courageous he was for jumping a fence and getting arrested for it.

But the most disturbing part of the story involves a professor here at Iowa State.

Chris Lubienski, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction, took his 6-year-old daughter to the protests. The story made it look like an honorable act to involve little children in politics.

What Lubienski did is terrible. His daughter is not yet capable of making an informed decision, so he has made it for her to ensure she doesn’t grow to disagree with him later in life.

When a left-winger involves their children in politics, it is admirable. When a right-winger, say an anti-abortionist, has their children picketing with them, we look at them as if they should have their children taken away.

It is not looked at, and is certainly not reported, as something that should be encouraged. And it shouldn’t. It’s brainwashing, plain and simple.

The reporter could have strengthened the story a great deal by trying to contact someone on the other side. Surely, someone out there disagrees with the protesters. More focus should have been placed on being fair and balanced. Isn’t that what journalism is all about?

Zach Calef is a junior in apparel

merchandising, design

and production

from Cedar Rapids.