A Homecoming To Remember

Today, as U of Wisconsin students were putting on their pirate costumes for school spirit and preparations were made for homecoming parade, and new students were gallantly toured around campus. Students finished up a week of class and made plans for homecoming weekend. They were confronted with the reality of becoming a country of torturers. They were forced to face the images of tortured prisoners that they turn the page on everyday.

Standing outside the student union on a fall afternoon, we told students to "take the leash" There was a lot of nervous laughter and looking away, taking the long way to go around us. We were an undeniable presence that had to be confronted. Those who did take the leash had similar nervous laughter and defensiveness. They were confused and irritated, then engaged and interested. Some said, no, I don't like this, it makes me feel uncomfortable. And so we said"What are you going to do about it? Everyday when you go to class, and you feel bad about it, but turn they other way, this is going on in your name." Then world cant wait organizers hooked them up with the call and continued conversation.

The situation erupted when a young black man went and got his friends to show them this torture victim. They laughed and tugged at the leash and pretended to punch the torture victim. They said, as black people they were with us, they were victims of this terrible regime as well. At the same time they were uncomfortable and resented this confrontation. They said they hated Bush, and one of them had been in the military, he said he supported us, but was very disturbed and uncomfortable with the "torture victim" He continued to laugh and pull on the leash beyondwhat was appropriate.

The torture victim challenged with outrage that thisis not funny and goes on in their name every day and if they think its a joke than they are accepting torture, and they are holding the leash. They continued to laugh at the torture victim, until they confronted them head on, accusing them of accepting torture. They fell silent and passersby witnessed they emotion and outrage.

We moved on to the main street in town from there. Everyone who walked by had to confront this. Some stared, some yelled out in anger, some stopped to discuss this. People were literally walking backwards with wide eyes shaking their heads in disbelief. Anolder man who was from Germany stopped and told us that he remembered Nazi Germany, and at the same time remembered the United States bombing their towns and cities. He said to us- "we Germans, we know" .

We thought this experience was very sobering and upsetting. Revealing, and deep. We have been trying to charge the atmosphere to wake students up, and this seemed to cut through the bull shit and get at very deep outrage and paralyses, shaking and working at the complacency that’s already setting in. It was exhilarating to challenge that and to embody this contradiction between what people are aware of and outraged by, and their sense of responsibility compelling them to act.

We are making plans to build on this sense of deep responsibility and righteousness that we were standing on in doing this action. We want to do this again with more costumed people. Including possibly at thehomecoming charity ball tomorrow.

UW Madison may be having their annual homecoming parade this evening, and it may be on the surface another football season, another party school, another activist University died out- but there is something a foot. There is a buzz about Novemenber 2, there are plans being made, there are students calling us. People say they're apathetic, people say they won't be mobilized unless it relates to their campus issues,they say we have to go to them one at a time and be nice, and they have their schedules and their own agendas. We will not be nice. We will fight for what is right. We will challenge students to inspire them, and we will aim to rip open the terms that have been set. It was stirring in the surprised faces of the students on State street this afternoon.

Will this be the same campus Monday morning?

Will it bethe same campus Nov 2?

Not if we have anything to do with it. And we aim to.