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Training a New Generation of Activists

By Jen Tayabji

On the fourth anniversary of 9/11, antiwar groups across the United States organized events to remember the 2001 tragedies and to bring much-needed attention to the tragedies committed in the name of 9/11, including racial profiling, the curtailment of civil liberties, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. At the University of Iowa, the UI Anti-War Coalition and the local chapter of the War Resisters League held Peacefest 2005 on Sunday, September 11.

In preparation for Peacefest, organizers invited members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War and the Progressive Resource/Action Cooperative (PRC) to lead a security workshop on Saturday, August 27. The PRC is a multi-issue, multi-tactical activist organization at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

VVAW has a long tradition of using security at its events to stop any trouble before it starts. Rocky Pomerance, the former chairman of the National Association of Police Chiefs, once said that VVAW was more disciplined than the Florida State Police during the Republican National Convention of 1972. Organized security keeps people safe (both people attending the event and those opposing the event) and allows the event to run smoothly. Good security often means that only security volunteers know there has been a potential problem, because situations are dealt with quickly and without drawing attention away from the event. Most importantly, security is not there to cause violence or endanger anyone, but to do exactly the opposite.

At the security workshop in Iowa City (led by VVAW national coordinator Barry Romo), we started by going over the role of security volunteers, explaining how volunteers work in teams of three, called "affinity groups." We also discussed what to look for to prevent possible conflicts, because just being observant can deter agitators. Another important tactic we practiced was how to talk to people who are upset and calm them down without causing a scene or provoking them. About fifteen people were in attendance for the all-afternoon workshop. During the final discussion, it seemed that those in attendance had learned a new approach to handling conflict at their events.

Peacefest 2005 was a success. The all-day event featured a myriad of speakers, including veterans, who emphasized that many veterans do not support the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. In addition to speakers, there were politically-influenced musical performances and many local and regional organizations out showing their solidarity with the mission of the event.