Father of deceased
American soldier
to protest Iraq war
Fernando Suarez del Solar
objects to the recruitment
techniques of the military
By Ryan Nyburg
Senior Pulse Reporter
In the long history of political
protests, the most effective protesters
have been those with a personal con
nection to the injustice they are at
tempting to correct.
This Saturday, Fernando Suarez
del Solar, whose son died in Iraq,
will speak at Cozmic Pizza.
The event, entitled "Military Fa
ther Speaks Out," is sponsored by
the Committee for Countering Mil
itary Recruitment, an organization
created by Eugene PeaceWorks and
the Community Alliance of Lane
County. CCMR's mission is to in
form people about certain aspects of
joining the military that it feels mili
tary recruiters do not discuss. Along
with Suarez del Solar, the event also
will include a political poster art
contest and a performance by the
band Azuquita.
"The principal point is to explain
to younger people that the promises
of military recruitment do not al
ways reflect the reality," Suarez del
Solar said.
Suarez del Solar's son, Jesus, was a
U.S. soldier who died in Iraq on
March 27, 2003. Since his death,
Suarez del Solar has campaigned
against the war in Iraq and false
promises of military recmitment.
Suarez del Solar will give a number
of speeches across the country
through his involvement with the or
ganization Military Families Speak
Out, and he also is planning a trip to
Iraq to visit the place where his son
was killed.
"He's a great spokesman for the
sacrifices people have made for this
war," CCMR co-coordinator Philip
Weaver said. "He doesn't object to
the military or military service, but
he doesn't think that the war in Iraq
is worthy of sacrificing our youths."
Suarez del Solar's speech will be in
his native Spanish with an English
interpreter. The reasons for this are
both symbolic and pragmatic.
"He's a great spokesman
for the sacrifices people
have made for this
war.... He doesn't object
to the military or military
service, but he doesn't
think that the war in
Iraq is worthy of
sacrificing our youths."
Phillip Weaver
Co-coordinator,
Committee for Countering
Military Recruitment
"Partly it's because it is the lan
guage he is most comfortable with,"
CALC volunteer/board member Car
ol Van Houten said. "Part of it is also
that he wishes to speak to many im
migrants like himself, who are one of
the biggest targets for military re
cruiters."
This campaign is not the first the
CCMR has put together. The com
mittee also has organized hip-hop
shows and put together an informa
tion campaign to inform local high
school students about certain aspects
of their privacy rights.
"Part of the No Child Left Behind
Act is that schools are required to
give the contact information for their
students to military recruiters, other
wise the school can lose their federal
funding," Weaver said. "Most people
didn't know that students could opt
out of it so that the military recruiters
wouldn't get that information. We
got speakers onto campuses so peo
ple would find out that they didn't
have to be contacted."
Cozmic Pizza is located at 199 W.
8th Ave.. "Military Father Speaks
Out" begins at 8 p.m. with Suarez
del Solar's presentation and Azuqui
ta's musical performance followed
by the poster art show. The speech
and poster show are both open to
the public, but donations will be ac
cepted. The tickets for Azuquita will
be sold on a $2-5 sliding scale.
Contact the senior Pulse reporter
at ryannyburg@dailyemerald.com.
UW Summer Quarter is open to you!
For more information, call 800-550-2917 or visit
summer.washingt on.edu
uregon uaiiy tmeraia - i nursaay, April 23, 2004 - 9
North Campus
579 E. Broadway
686-1166
South Campus
2870 E. Willamette
686-1600
STUDENT ID SPECIALS
• Show Your Student ID • Order by Number
X-LARGE 1-TOPPING
The Big New Yorker
MEDIUM 3-TOPPING
Pan, Thin ’N Crispy or Hand Tossed
STICKS N WINGS
10 Breadsticks, 12 Wings
X-LARGE 3-TOPPING
The Big New Yorker
g MEDIUM 1-TOPPINGS
Pan, Thin ’N Crispy or Hand Tossed
STICKS N WINGS
10 Breadsticks, 24 Wings
$999
$999
9999
$1199
$1199
$1199
FREE 2-Liter of Soda with Any Above Order!
Delivery charges may apply
o
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
2004 Summer
Session Registration
Starts May 3
Register for
Summer Classes
Book Your Summer in Oregon
Summer Session starts June 21. Pick up your free summer catalog
today in the Summer Session office, 333 Oregon Hall, at the UO
Bookstore, or read it online. You can speed your way toward
graduation by taking required courses during summer.
Check Out Our Website!
http://uosummer.uoregon.edu
IREfiflNnflllYFMFMin
your independent student newspaper