Gloomy weather didn't dampen the spirits of a group who gathered in front of Marquette's ROTC building Friday, asking Marquette to stop participating in what they view as an "unjust war."

Patrick Kennelly, a senior in the College of Education, explained the purpose of the demonstration.,”Gloomy weather didn't dampen the spirits of a group who gathered in front of Marquette's Department of Military Science building, which houses the Reserve Officer Traing Corps program Friday, asking Marquette to stop participating in the Iraq war, what the group viewed as an "unjust war."

Patrick Kennelly,2PAC a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, explained the purpose of the demonstration.

"There just seems to be a definite contradiction between what many people view as an unjust war and Marquette, which is a Jesuit institution, hosting a military science department," Kennelly said, referring to the presence of a ROTC 2PAC program on campus.

According to Kennelly, the group is requesting that University President the Rev. Robert A. Wild 2AC and Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan2PAC respond to questions of whether or not our country is engaged in a "just" war.

Carrying a banner that said, "Father Wild, do you think the Iraq war is just?" the group marched to Wild's office, located in O'Hara Hall,2PAC 615 N. 11th St. Group members then followed a route that stopped at the 707 Building 2PAC on North 11th Street, where more military offices are housed, and Raynor Memorial Library,2PAC where they honored both Americans and Iraqis who have lost their lives as a result of the war.

The path of the demonstration returned to the Department of Military Science building where a vigil was held to conclude the action.

A group also gathered on the opposite side of the ROTC building in support of the presence of the program on campus.

Brian Collar, an graduate student in the College of Arts & Sciences, said he helped organize this counter-protest after he found out about the planned action Tuesday. Collar, along with about 10 other students who joined him, are not involved in the ROTC program.

"We wanted to be out here to show our fellow students in ROTC that there are definitely people who support them," Collar said.

Kennely entered O'Hara Hall to call upon Wild.

According to Kennely Wild was not on campus, and the university could not speak on the manner.

"The university will give me a written response to the question within two weeks," Kennely said.

"At the very least, we have managed to raise our voices against the unjust actions being done in our name," Kennelly said.

Watch for a full article regarding the demonstrations in Tuesday's edition of The Marquette Tribune.

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