The Daily Universe celebrates 50 years

This story originally appeared in the Daily Universe on Jan. 18, 1991

By Kara Leigh Hamilton

Emotions ran high Thursday as a crowd of students gathered in ELWC stepdown Lounge to learn about new developments in Operation Desert Storm. Some students put emotions into words, voicing their opinions in what one student called “a pacifist rally.”

Some students sat on the floor near the elevators holding up a banner that carried the phrase “BYU Students Against War in the Gulf.” Others drew passers-by into debated about why they were against President Bush’s decision.

Elias Saboura, a 23-year ?old senior from Jerusalem majoring in political science, said he thinks the United States forced the United Nations into taking the actions they took. He posed the question, “Are we going to sacrifice countless numbers of young men and women for oil?”

Bob Stevens, a 21-year-old senior from La Mirada, Calif., said, “I don’t think they realize the consequences that we wouldn’t have food in the stored if there was no gas. They’re saying ‘No blood for oil,’ but some-times you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”

While students were debating back and forth about the situation, two people ran up and grabbed the banner the protesters were holding and ran off with it.

In response to this action, protester Anna Francis, a 19-year-old sophomore majoring in English from Austin, Texas, said, “They say we’re like anti-Christs because we’re sitting here opposed to war and bloodshed. They say we offend God, and then they come and steal from us. I think that is offensive to God.

Stevens asked the group, “Why don’t you support our troops that are over there? Our men are over there fighting while you’re here protesting.”

Trevor Scott, a member of the U.S. Navy, which has been on Yellow Alert since the Jan. 15 deadline, voiced his opinion when Saboura and others asked people in favor of the war why they weren’t in Saudi Arabia fighting. He said, “As a member of the military I realize it’s my job to give up my life if it’s necessary.

Steve Redd, a BYU graduate from Sandy, said he thinks the protesters have a right to make their point. “I don’t agree with their stance. They have an ideological base and think the world should revolve around it. This is not a perfect world.”