Peace and Justice League host first annual "Let's just not free Tibet" Vigil

This past Friday, University of New Hampshire's Peace and Justice League sought to spread their unique message to campus through a vigil held at the war memorial in downtown Durham.

According to the group, this year's title was a specific reaction to finals week, ambivalence, and the onset of adult cynicism.

While in the pouring rain,only a handful of students stood in front of the war memorial in Durham, New Hampshire. Holding signs and cheering, their words were the same:

"Lets NOT free Tibet."

Steve Ives a member of the group said, "There's just so much wrong with the world and we're just a small grass roots organization. I just feel like every year we have these peace vigils and Tibet never gets freed or anything. It just makes me feel pathetic. This time around I could care less if Tibet frees itself or not."

The vigil began at noon and lasted for about two hours which members of the group say resulted in a discussion about how overrated Tibet was anyway. Among other things discussed was where they were going to hang that night, the cool reggae band they saw last weekend and if anybody wanted to go for lunch.

Ives says "Tibet never helped me with my finals or my thesis project. Tibet is like that roommate that eats all your food and uses you for your friends and then goes to Cancun for spring break and doesn't even invite you until last minute, just because he couldn't really give a damn."

The students on the sidewalk kept a cheery attitude, greeting the passers-by's with cheers and waves. Although there was a low turnout, all group members agreed the goal of the activist's message was achieved.

"The goal is awareness" says Button, "that even if you believe in something, history and politics are way more important than your youth or idealism."

Amanda Sheehan, a late showing group member sums it up best, "It's pretty much an impossible task to free Tibet and if they ever do free themselves nothing we ever did helped."