Campus peace group screens documentary in student center
Scott Stewart
Issue date: 2/6/09 Section: News
A television left in the Milo Bail Student Center Fireside Lounge earlier this week wasn't there to make the lounge feel more like home - or a dorm room - for the students relaxing and studying there.
Instead, the UNO chapter of Nebraskans for Peace was hoping to encourage passers-by to take a moment to consider the militarization of our planet while watching "Soldiers of Conscious," a Public Broadcasting Service documentary about conscientious objectors serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq.
The group thought the movie honored those who desired to serve their country, said Candella Foley-Finchem, UNO Nebraskans for Peace's treasurer.
"It was very respectful both to conscientious objectors and to the military," Foley-Finchem said.
The film was shown around midday Monday through Wednesday in the lounge in an effort to fit people's schedules, said Colleen O'Doherty, the group's president. They got the idea to run the film continuously from last October's screening of "Iron Jawed Angels" by the Women's Resource Center and the Chancellor's Commission on the Status of Women.
"Some of the images were kind of jarring, so I think it was a good way to get people's attention," O'Doherty said.
The UNO chapter of Nebraskans for Peace is focusing on counter-recruitment, or discouraging people from enlisting in the armed forces, O'Doherty said.
"Basically, I thought it would fit well with what Nebraskans for Peace was trying to do this semester," O'Doherty said.
Other events are still in the planning stages for the group, O'Doherty said.
Addressing recruitment on campus, Foley-Finchem said she personally has mixed feelings about whether recruiters should be on campus, but she would like to see them limited to job fairs and similar venues.
"There were recruiters present today in Milo Bail," Foley-Finchem said. "I don't think UNO is unique in that."
Instead, the UNO chapter of Nebraskans for Peace was hoping to encourage passers-by to take a moment to consider the militarization of our planet while watching "Soldiers of Conscious," a Public Broadcasting Service documentary about conscientious objectors serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq.
The group thought the movie honored those who desired to serve their country, said Candella Foley-Finchem, UNO Nebraskans for Peace's treasurer.
"It was very respectful both to conscientious objectors and to the military," Foley-Finchem said.
The film was shown around midday Monday through Wednesday in the lounge in an effort to fit people's schedules, said Colleen O'Doherty, the group's president. They got the idea to run the film continuously from last October's screening of "Iron Jawed Angels" by the Women's Resource Center and the Chancellor's Commission on the Status of Women.
"Some of the images were kind of jarring, so I think it was a good way to get people's attention," O'Doherty said.
The UNO chapter of Nebraskans for Peace is focusing on counter-recruitment, or discouraging people from enlisting in the armed forces, O'Doherty said.
"Basically, I thought it would fit well with what Nebraskans for Peace was trying to do this semester," O'Doherty said.
Other events are still in the planning stages for the group, O'Doherty said.
Addressing recruitment on campus, Foley-Finchem said she personally has mixed feelings about whether recruiters should be on campus, but she would like to see them limited to job fairs and similar venues.
"There were recruiters present today in Milo Bail," Foley-Finchem said. "I don't think UNO is unique in that."
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