Taking a sense of social responsibility to the level of protest, roughly 100 students from the Claremont Colleges took part in Fast for Peace, a three day fast to criticize US military action in Afghanistan.

Ilana Blankman ’04 led the effort, which was coordinated with fasts at about 15 other colleges around the country from November 7 to 9, including MIT, Princeton, University of Arizona and University of Texas, Austin. Blankman wanted to "start or coalesce [the] movement of nationwide non-violent action" at Pomona, she said. The event echoed actions of men such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. and made it a noble cause, Blankman said.

Many of the fasters met at Frary dining hall Wednesday morning for breakfast before starting their 56-hour fast. They wore blue armbands to show they were fasting, and other students who supported them wore green armbands to show their solidarity.

Some people didn’t fast or fasted for only part of the time, but it was up to individuals how much of a commitment they would make. There were "different levels of goals," said Blankman, which helped make the event "really successful."

Zach Meyer-Krings ’02 couldn’t fast for medical reasons, but he went to the first meeting and immediately became involved. "I feel very personally about what’s going on, what the country is doing," Meyer-Krings said. He helped coordinate the fast by speaking to members of the administration to garner their support. The administration, he said, was very supportive of the effort.

"[President] Stanley said he was behind us," Meyer-Krings said. Neil Gerard helped the students get access to Walton Commons so that fasters would be able to gather together. Students there painted banners or made T-shirts and were able to get some support for their fast.

Fasting students sat outside of the dining halls at lunch and dinner for five meals to remind other students of their protest, Blankman said. It was a "powerful, non-violent statement against the war," said Iselin Gambert ’02, who took part in the fast.

When the fast ended, students gathered on the mounds at Pitzer to share their experiences and end their fasts together. There was a rally followed by two teach-ins where professors addressed the students, Blankman said.

"I hope the event raised awareness and discussion," Gambert said. She took part in the fast for two reasons, she said, "the political message for peace and the personal motivation to undertake something that would force me to be constantly mindful of events in the world."

"It’s very easy to forget, especially here, about what’s going on around us," said Regan Douglass ’02, one of the fasters. For her, the fast served three functions. "It was a constant reminder of the war, it was a symbol of solidarity for peace and it was a reality check about how privileged we are," she said.

Campus safety and staff at Baxter stopped by Walton Commons to check on students as the fast went on. Blankman commented that the entire community was supportive of the event. About 50 or 60 students fasted for the entire 56 hours, Blankman said.

The fast was part of a larger effort to protest the US offensive in Afghanistan. There are ongoing peace marches every Thursday, there was a larger Peace Conference in Berkeley the weekend after the fast and Blankman said she and others are planning a program for consciousness building in high schools.

It was an "encouraging event," said Meyer-Krings, to see people responding with non-violence.