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United Campus Ministry papers, 1970-1972

1971-05-28 'May Events, A Summary by Roger Simpson' - Back

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Until...it became apparent that the war was continuing, widening, and that other peace protests with a national scope were definitely happening.  In conjunction with events in Washington D.C., which also began peacefully, local meetings and "peacefests" were planned for the Campus community.  Peace demonstrations of an orderly, quiet nature were occurring at other times and places: "Citizens for Peace", organized by Campus Ministers with Roger and Sally giving leadership, to appeal to Nixon on his visit to Des Moines; "Iowa Peace Action Committee" was meeting the draft bus regularly at daybreak in front of the Post Office; end-the-draft petitions were being circulated; "People's Peace Treaty" was being signed, and others arranged to travel to Washington to participate.  Still others, openly forming local coalitions, sought space and approval for a "Peacefest" for Saturday, May 1.  The U. facilities were crowded because of Mother's Day events, and the City Council refused permission for such a gathering in the City.  After failing to get a site through the Courts, the peace coalition obtained University approval for the use of the McBride Campus - 17 miles north of the City!  Other events to follow included an all-day teach-in Sunday at the Union, with rallies on the Pentacrest, etc.

The INFORMATION CENTER Committee decided it was time to open.  Crews were formed and teams of 6-10 persons worked in four hour shifts around the clock for several days during the next week.  The coordinator for each shift was usually a Campus Minister or a Clergyman from a local Church.  Detailed logs were kept of all incoming and outgoing calls, and reports of the roving monitors and peace monitors were recorded.  The thousands of contacts and calls and conversations and meetings are impossible to relate, but here is a short sample summary of events - interspersed with long periods of quiet, suspense, even boredom:

* Thousands trying to get to the Peacefest, calling and milling about the Information Center * lost friends seeking contacts * frightened persons asking about police "busts" * enraged citizens phoning to ask about the bomb attack on ROTC building (there was none, just firecrackers) * persons seeking help due to sickness, lack of money, no place to "crash" * students asking about the National Guard arriving (a false rumor) * dorm advisors, residents calling to plead with us to get to the U. authorities to stop the police throwing tear gas in the dorms (we did get Campus Security to agree to try and stop it) * assisting persons beaten to get medical attention * helping relay information about need for bail money, attorneys * sending pleas for help to relatives, friends, roommates from persons arrested * countering false rumors of police brutality * providing a refuge for persons chased off the streets by police * resisting police efforts to force the INFORMATION CENTER to close down * conferring continuously with U., City, and police in efforts to develop moves to head off more violence (got the State Police out walking and talking, eating supper with dorm residents) * Sally, in the midst of one scene where violence was near, fulfilled her monitor role by walking up to one man who had just pulled a huge knife and quietly saying, "Oh - put that thing away or you might hurt someone" - and he put it away * another Campus Minister confronted some he surmised were about to toss a crude "fluid cocktail" and discussed passive resistance and non-violence until they dissolved and disappeared.

Continuing today and tomorrow is concern for those arrested in street sweeps.  Beyond this, efforts and plans are already underway to thoroughly evaluate the INFORMATION CENTER function and anticipate needs for future service in the fall.  More specifically, Sally and Roger are working with an AD HOC group to try and identify basic causal factors and propose both short and long term solutions.  It is an essential, vital ministry - in the prophetic, structural, and pastoral traditions - demanding our fullest commitment and far more resources of persons, time, and energy than seem available.  Your prayers and support are earnestly requested.

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- 2 - Until...it became apparent that the war was continuing, widening, and that other peace protests with a national scope were definitely happening. In conjunction with events in Washington D.C., which also began peacefully, local meetings and "peacefests" were planned for the Campus community. Peace demonstrations of an orderly, quiet nature were occurring at other times and places: "Citizens for Peace", organized by Campus Ministers with Roger and Sally giving leadership, to appeal to Nixon on his visit to Des Moines; "Iowa Peace Action Committee" was meeting the draft bus regularly at daybreak in front of the Post Office; end-the-draft petitions were being circulated; "People's Peace Treaty" was being signed, and others arranged to travel to Washington to participate. Still others, openly forming local coalitions, sought space and approval for a "Peacefest" for Saturday, May 1. The U. facilities were crowded because of Mother's Day events, and the City Council refused permission for such a gathering in the City. After failing to get a site through the Courts, the peace coalition obtained University approval for the use of the McBride Campus - 17 miles north of the City! Other events to follow included an all-day teach-in Sunday at the Union, with rallies on the Pentacrest, etc. The INFORMATION CENTER Committee decided it was time to open. Crews were formed and teams of 6-10 persons worked in four hour shifts around the clock for several days during the next week. The coordinator for each shift was usually a Campus Minister or a Clergyman from a local Church. Detailed logs were kept of all incoming and outgoing calls, and reports of the roving monitors and peace monitors were recorded. The thousands of contacts and calls and conversations and meetings are impossible to relate, but here is a short sample summary of events - interspersed with long periods of quiet, suspense, even boredom: * Thousands trying to get to the Peacefest, calling and milling about the Information Center * lost friends seeking contacts * frightened persons asking about police "busts" * enraged citizens phoning to ask about the bomb attack on ROTC building (there was none, just firecrackers) * persons seeking help due to sickness, lack of money, no place to "crash" * students asking about the National Guard arriving (a false rumor) * dorm advisors, residents calling to plead with us to get to the U. authorities to stop the police throwing tear gas in the dorms (we did get Campus Security to agree to try and stop it) * assisting persons beaten to get medical attention * helping relay information about need for bail money, attorneys * sending pleas for help to relatives, friends, roommates from persons arrested * countering false rumors of police brutality * providing a refuge for persons chased off the streets by police * resisting police efforts to force the INFORMATION CENTER to close down * conferring continuously with U., City, and police in efforts to develop moves to head off more violence (got the State Police out walking and talking, eating supper with dorm residents) * Sally, in the midst of one scene where violence was near, fulfilled her monitor role by walking up to one man who had just pulled a huge knife and quietly saying, "Oh - put that thing away or you might hurt someone" - and he put it away * another Campus Minister confronted some he surmised were about to toss a crude "fluid cocktail" and discussed passive resistance and non-violence until they dissolved and disappeared. Continuing today and tomorrow is concern for those arrested in street sweeps. Beyond this, efforts and plans are already underway to thoroughly evaluate the INFORMATION CENTER function and anticipate needs for future service in the fall. More specifically, Sally and Roger are working with an AD HOC group to try and identify basic causal factors and propose both short and long term solutions. It is an essential, vital ministry - in the prophetic, structural, and pastoral traditions - demanding our fullest commitment and far more resources of persons, time, and energy than seem available. Your prayers and support are earnestly requested.