Since the racist incidents across Syracuse University’s campus since November, #NotAgainSU has gained immense traction. With almost 13,000 Instagram followers, the movement has made national news and is working to create real change on campus.

As the #NotAgainSU platform grows, organizers have a responsibility to advocate conscientiously and to use their influence to affect positive change.

Unfortunately, #NotAgainSU has used its platform to attack the U.S. military. Today #NotAgainSU took to Instagram to make the claim that the military and weapons manufacturers “further the foreign and domestic wars on Black and Brown people and constrain what and how people study.” This is not only untrue, it is ignorant and dismissive of the almost 1,400 military-connected students that attend SU.

The idea that SU is linked to the U.S. military is wrong. SU is closely linked to the Department of Veteran Affairs, an independent federal government agency. This branch does not fund wars, it funds veterans who fought to protect the free speech #NotAgainSU is exercising.

The idea that weapon manufacturers limit what students study is wrong. Lockheed Martin donated $250,000 to SU’s engineering program in 2006. In doing so it significantly aided the university in advancing a “world-class microwave engineering laboratory.” The advancement of labs expands the horizons of studies for all SU students.

The claim that the Department of Public Safety has become increasingly militarized is also untrue. #NotAgainSU said in its Instagram post that DPS denied “food, medicine, and hygiene products” to protesters, and while this statement is factual on its face, the implication is false.

DPS did not unilaterally decide to block essential supplies to protestors. DPS’s union reported last week that the decision was passed down from “Syverud and senior SU administration throughout the protest.” While we can point blame at those with scary badges and radios, it is not peace officers making decisions. The idea that the SU administration, desk workers and educators, those who really made the decision, are being “militarized” is laughable.

Where do these claims leave us? They leave us with 1,400 students feeling ostracized for risking their lives to serve our country. They leave DPS fearful of doing their job. They weaken us.

I advocate for change on campus, and I believe #NotAgainSU has the power to facilitate change, but I will not stand for the demonization of those who protect us.

Adrianna San Marco is a freshman economics major. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at asanmarc@syr.edu. She can be followed on Twitter at @adriannasanmarc.

Published on March 3, 2020 at 9:44 pm