Protesters marched through Western's campus with signs and megaphones. Their chants echoed off the bricks of Red Square. After a loop around campus, they scaled the steps to Old Main and stopped at President Bruce Shepard's office door.

More than 50 students gathered outside the Performing Arts Center on March 4 to participate in a rally against further tuition hikes and budget cuts from public services, such as higher education.

Not only were Western students protesting on campus, but March 4 was also a national day of protest against tuition hikes.

“Over 123 other active rallies in 33 countries are happening right now while we are protesting here on our campus,” President of Socialist Alternative Ramy Khalil said.

Socialist Alternative member Jake Silberman opened for the rally, and throughout it introduced each speaker. Speakers consisted of Western students, Western faculty and one Whatcom Community College graduate who served in Iraq.

“We are here to protest the governor’s proposed state budget cuts, including the $5 million cut from Western’s personal budget,” Silberman said.

The crowd cheered and waved their signs as their peers spoke, each addressing the importance of education. 

“Without education we don’t have anything,” Western student Zach Snover said. “This is a statewide and national day of protest for all the same types of things that we are all gathered together for today.”

“I have a voice and a body, and I’m going to use it,” Snover said.

After Snover finished his speech, Whatcom graduate Evan Knappenberger came to the microphone wearing his military jacket from when he served in Iraq for one year, and holding a picket sign that read “war is expensive” on one side and “peace is priceless” on the other.

Knappenberger said the United States spends more money on their military than all other countries combined.

“The people in this country have money, but they are doing and will continue to do whatever it takes to keep that power in their own hands,” Knappenberger said.

After an hour of rallying outside the PAC, the protest took to the streets.

Protesters marched through campus, holding signs while chanting slogans such as “Bail out schools, not the banks, education cuts, no thanks.”

While marching past the Wade King Student Recreation Center, Western senior Hans Stroo got the attention of Knappenberger by yelling out opposing words toward the protesters.

When questioned by Knappenberger about why Stroo felt so strongly opposed to the protest, Stroo said he felt the protesters were a big group of infants walking by, whining about paying for education when in reality things cost money.

In response to Knappenberger’s sign, Stroo said war is expensive, but uneasy peace is expensive too.

“War costs a lot of money, but maybe it is worth the price,” Stroo said.    

The conversation ended with a shaking of hands between Knappenberger and Stroo.

The conflict serves as an example of the complexities within the issue of where money should be spent, cut and saved.

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