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Today, Ash Wednesday, a baker’s dozen of Marquette University (MU) students, staff, alumni, donors, a Jesuit and others silently fasted and prayed in the MU Raynor Library behind a sign calling for “MU To Teach War No More. Marquette Security and Milwaukee Police asked them to leave and saying they did not have a “permit to pray” in the lobby of the library. When they refused to leave the police and security checked with ‘higher authorities’ at Marquette who decided not to give them a ticket for trespassing and to allow them to pray the rest of the hour. One of the security guards said Marquette did not teach war. The silent witnesses remain silent but we could hear some of the other security guards telling the person off to the side that MU did teach war in the ROTC classes. In fact one of the basic courses in ROTC taught at Marquette to students from 14 local colleges and universities is called “The Principals of War.”
A Marquette professor who is active in a local peace group came by, and when offered a flyer said he had already read it, which was impossible since the flyers had just been printed. Rather than join us or respect our silence he tried talking to participants who silently listened to him. Another Marquette staff person came out of the library and joined us in silent prayer.
Some will continue to pray each week for Marquette to stop teaching war to students from 14 local colleges and universities in the region, with or without a “Permit to Pray”.
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