In a letter to University President Rev. William P. Leahy, SJ, members of the Boston College community demanded that the University take an official, public stance against the war in Iraq. Attached to the letter was a petition signed by 1,200 students, faculty, and staff. Supporters circulated the petition around campus for several weeks before spring break, gathering signatures in McElroy Commons and Lower Campus Dining Hall.
"As a Jesuit university, we believe that BC has the responsibility to invest itself in the political debate encompassing our world," stated the BC Community Opposed to the War in Iraq in their letter.
"When a president of a school says something, especially a school as well-known as BC, people listen," said Becky Herhold, a member of the BC Community Opposed to the War in Iraq and A&S '04.
The group, formed specificly for the purpose of producing a statement from the University, outlined the reasons they are against the war in their letter to Leahy. The instabilty and loss of life that would be caused by a war, questions about the legality of the war according to the charter of the United Nations, and the increase of world-wide anti-American sentiment were among the anti-war rationale addressed in the letter.
The pope, the Bishops of the United States, and the Jesuit community have all already made statements opposing war in Iraq. In their letter, the BC Community Opposed to the War in Iraq pointed to this as further evidence that BC has a role in having a political voice in speaking out against the war. "It seems BC could follow suit," said Herhold. "We want our University to set a precedent and influence other universities to take a stand as well."
The group set March 21 as a deadline for Leahy to make his statement. In their press release they stated, "If we get no response or not the response we are looking for, further action will be taken."
"In terms of planning [further actions] and what not it's definitely still in the works. There are a lot of different ideas that are floating around," said Herhold. "The thing I am most worried about is that Father Leahy won't respond at all."
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