Students should attend rally, but beware moot points

International ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism), a left-of Leftist group best known for its connections to the militant Workers World Party and its support for the freedom of Slobodan Milosevic, is sponsoring a Jan. 18 anti-war rally in Washington. Students should attend the rally and be heard regardless of their positions on the possible upcoming war, but also be wary of sponsors such as ANSWER who have attempted to combine extraneous issues with the anti-war cause. Supporters, dissenters and onlookers should also acknowledge that ANSWER's sponsorship of the event does not necessarily mean those in attendance adhere to its agenda.

The burgeoning anti-war movement is gaining steam. It is necessary to recognize, however, that even though radical ANSWER is taking the initiative this time, the anti-war movement is not inherently radical. Many moderates are against President Bush's Iraq agenda, but do not have the financial support to spur a mass rally alone. In this case, it would be wise for moderate groups to stand up against war along with ANSWER and share the fiscal responsibilities of organizing protests.

The concern with ANSWER lies not in its support of the anti-war movement, but rather the threat that other facets of its agenda will be tacked onto and shift the focus from the rally's stated purpose. If the rally draws the sort of numbers expected, ANSWER may get most or all of the credit, and many who read about the rally afterward will assume the crowd showed up to support ANSWER's agenda rather than to learn about or participate in the anti-war movement. This agenda includes not only the immediate release of Milosevic, but more recently, a demand for the immediate elimination of U.S. weapons of mass destruction.

Even with the threat of false association, persons who feel strongly about the anti-war movement should make the effort to attend Saturday's rally and associated events. ANSWER and other anti-war organizations should put the rest of their agendas aside for the duration and channel resources into their common goal. With more sponsors, it would be less likely for the success of these events to be attributed solely to ANSWER, and in turn, the rest of ANSWER's fringe platform.

The war question is of vital importance across political party lines and belief systems; all who can should attend the rally, regardless of other affiliations. Bystanders at the rally or persons without significant knowledge of the event should understand that the event's goals are not the same as those of the sponsor. If worried about possible connections with this group as a result of attending this weekend's events, protesters should voice their concerns and choose not to wave ANSWER's protest posters.