A College Republicans meeting turned heated Tuesday when a student was thrown out during a discussion on an upcoming anti-war referendum. The College Republicans hosted a panel to encourage students and Madison citizens to make informed decisions.
The overall opinion of the panel and those who attended was in opposition to the referendum, which would bring all military personnel home from Iraq now. The measure will go to a vote in Madison April 4.
The panel included Iraq War Veterans Kevin Lewis, Greg Seidlitz and Mike Hahn, and Bill Richardson, treasurer of Vote No to Cut and Run,\ an advocacy group that supports keeping troops in Iraq.
""God put men on the earth for three reasons: to protect women, to protect children and to fight for their country,"" Lewis said.
Tension amplified when people supporting the referendum joined the meeting. Two officers from the Madison Police Department were sent to stand in on the meeting.
Chris Dols, a UW-Madison junior, and a member of the International Socialist Organization, was eventually escorted out by police.
Dols vocally expressed his opinion to get troops out now, calling the College Republicans ""cowards,"" and police officers removed him. Dols told the veterans he wants to bring the troops home to help soldiers like them.
Richardson expressed strong opposition to the referendum.
""If we pull out of Iraq now, the terrorists win,"" he said. ""They are dedicated terrorists, and they want to rule the world.""
Richardson said he is sick of liberals hiding behind sympathy for troops in Iraq. ""People who are far left do not care about the soldiers,"" he said.
""I go over to Iraq because I love my marine buddies and I love the Iraqi people,"" Lewis said.
Lewis vocalized his view of the anti-war movement.
""I don't hate the anti-war movement,"" he said, "" I just know it's about misinformation and ignorance.""
Greg Seiditz and Mark Hahn discussed the consequences of leaving Iraq without properly installing a government.
""We owe it to the Iraqis to give them a government,"" Seiditz said. ""While I was over there I saw three elections in Iraq.""
Hahn said if the United States pulls out of Iraq tomorrow, the country will turn into chaos.
""You can discuss why we were there in the first place, but the point is we're there now, and we have to it right.""
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