Military Recruiting Sparks a Protest at Career Fair

Students from Berkeley Stop the War Coalition protested military recruiting on campus at a career fair yesterday. Demonstrators said the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy violates university anti-discrimination policies.

The protest, prompted by the presence of a Marine Corps recruiter at the Career Center's Internship and Summer Job Fair outside the Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Union, attracted some 20 students waving signs and chanting, "Don't ask, don't tell, take this war and go to hell."

"Even if you don't say it outright, if it's even felt, you get harassed. It's constantly reinforced that homosexuality is not natural," said sophomore Anna Schlotz, a coalition member. "You wouldn't be able to hide your race or religion, so why should you have to hide your sexual orientation?"

Protesters claimed the military's policy-which allows gays to join the military as long they keep their sexual orientation secret-encourages repression of sexuality and bars gays serving in the military from receiving benefits heterosexuals enjoy. They say the university does not endorse these beliefs.

"Queer issues are very important to this campus," Schlotz said. "This campus wouldn't stand for the KKK being on campus because it's openly racist. Likewise, the military is just as openly homophobic."

Until last November, when a federal appeals court ruled that universities can legally deny military recruiters access to campuses on grounds of discrimination, universities would have risked losing federal funding if they turned military recruiters away.

Despite last fall's ruling, however, UC Berkeley has not exercised a ban.

"As much as I dislike using school services to aid recruiting by an entity that discriminates, I would hope that some law students will consider military careers," Dean of Boalt Hall School of Law Christopher Edley said in December. "After all, the nation needs an inclusive military. Boycotting it won't reform it."

Still, protesters said military recruiters should not get special treatment when it comes to discrimination.

"If this were any other company, it would be impossible for the recruiter to be here on campus. But because it's the military, they get a free ride," Schlotz said.

But military recruiters on campus said while students' efforts are commendable, the military's recruitment is in line with the law.

"The students are entitled to their opinions," said Marine Corps recruiter Capt. Eric Montalvo. "They should write their senators and congressmen-we're just enforcing policy."

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