A group of students joined forces to discourage the United States from acting hastily or in violence in retaliation to this week’s attacks on the East Coast.

Nick Wethington, sophomore in English, helped form Time For Peace, a group that advocates a nonviolent response to Tuesday’s acts of terrorism.

“Basically, any act of violence committed by the United States, we’d protest,” Wethington said.

Wethington helped organize the group Tuesday night as news of the crashes in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania still unfolded.

Wethington founded the group with Omar Tesdell, sophomore in pre-journalism and mass communication. They were able to gather a group of nearly 10 students Tuesday night to discuss what they felt the nation should do next.

They all felt one thing – the United States should not act in violence.

“A few of us that have been involved in campus activism in the past decided to form an organization to vocalize an opinion that we felt wasn’t being expressed by the mainstream media,” said Matt Denner, freshman in liberal arts and sciences.

One of the students at the first meeting of Time For Peace was Jonathan Mullin, sophomore in biochemistry. Mullin said the group hopes to promote responsible, nonviolent action.

“We hope to show people that violence does not have to beget violence,” Mullin said. “Sometimes action becomes unavoidable, [but] we encourage at the very least the security of the human rights of those involved.”

Time For Peace members designed informational fliers at their first meeting. On the fliers was the group’s statement of intent. On it, the group states that it advocates a “broad-based, unbiased investigation of the attacks,” and states that Time For Peace “opposes any military retaliation which would contribute to an atmosphere of hatred and vengeance.”

Wethington said the group will write letters to members of Congress and newspapers.

“Basically, we want to disseminate our nonviolent ethos,” Wethington said.

Mullin said Time For Peace is having an informational meeting tonight, they have not announced a time or location. Anyone interested in more information about Time For Peace or in attending the meeting should e-mail the members at [email protected].