I encourage people to think before they enlist.

Members of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society and the Youth Action Coalition demonstrated peacefully against media coverage and the war in Iraq outside an Army recruiting center in Milwaukee.

The recruiting center, located at 3133 N. Oakland Ave., was vandalized last month when demonstrators broke windows and threw paint bombs. Since then, 21 people have been arrested in connection with the demonstration.

Demonstrators held signs such as Bombs Not Windows, Bring Our Windows Home Now and 100 Windows Are Broken Every Day in Baghdad.

Demonstrators said one of the reasons they were out there was because of the media coverage of the March demonstration. They said coverage focused too much on the fact that windows were broken and that trivialized the war in Iraq and drew coverage away from it.

But some of the demonstrators said that what happened last month was good. While many didnt condone the tactics used by the March demonstrators, the demonstrators today said it would be better if there were no recruiting centers.

I also respect the diversity of tactics, said Tom, an East Side resident who didnt want to divulge his full name.

Although most motorists who passed by either didnt pay attention or looked at the demonstrators and kept on driving, some did give signs “ both positive and negative. A majority of those who gave signs did so by honking their horns. There were some motorists who antagonized the demonstrators.

Demonstrators also said they were speaking out against the war.

Its not a legal war, said Erik Sperling, a UWM sophomore, and people are fed up with it, as well they should be.

Elena Pires, a UWM sophomore and member of the Youth Action Coalition, said the demonstrators last month give activists a bad name. She also said she was out to demonstrate recruitment day.

I encourage people to think before they enlist, Pires said. She said theres not enough focus on the war.

Melody Hoffman, a UWM grad student, said she was out for two reasons: to continue the war dialog and to demonstrate against the way the media covered the previous demonstration.

We think protests are a good way to continue the dialog, she said.

Later, police flooded the area near the demonstrators with a heavy police presence.

The Students for a Democratic Society is a registered UWM student organization whose purpose is to oppose bigotry, imperialism and corporatism through education, organization and coalition building. The Youth Action Coalition supports youth involvement in local, regional, national and global affairs.

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