The small contingent of the Macalester community with intimate ties to the military is feeling isolated by the recent rise in anti-war activism on campus.

According to Dean of Students Laurie Hamre, several Macalester students with close relatives fighting in the Persian Gulf have expressed concern that the rest of the student body will not understand their emotions due to the high visibility of pro-peace activism around campus.

Hamre added that many of these students are afraid to talk about their relatives' involvement in the war to other members of the Macalester community.

Similarly, the few members of the Macalester community that themselves are involved in the military are also feeling somewhat isolated from the Macalester community.

Macalester Trustee and Retired Major General Doyle Larson '52 said that Macalester offers a "quite uncomfortable atmosphere" for him and other members of the military. "I have mixed emotions about Macalester," said Larson. "This is my college and I feel that the [anti-war protestors] are taking it away from me."

John Worden '04, a medic in the Minnesota National Guard, said that even before the current anti-war sentiment bubbled up, he often received bad looks from fellow students when he got his hair cut for military purposes. "They looked at me as if they are asking, 'Why are you here?'" Worden said.

Worden recalls that once, while he was in full uniform, some students in Carnegie shot him particularly nasty looks.

"I got looks I only can describe as hateful," he said.

Larson also had negative experiences while wearing his uniform on campus. When he attended his 20-year class reunion just after the Vietnam War, students stole his hat out of what Larson believes was contempt for his military background.

"The younger people were not happy to have a uniform around," he said.

Larson has many misgivings about the aims of the Macalester anti-war movement. "The actions of protest are reflecting on troops who have been sent over there to die," Larson said.

When told of the Peace Camp near Bateman Plaza, Larson suggested that those residing in the camp should "get a job."

According to Larson, writing to representatives in government is a more respectful way to go about expressing discontent about the war.

Worden, who describes himself as anti-war, agrees that the anti-war movement on campus needs to aim its efforts at government officials and not members of the military.

"It is appropriate to make the distinction between supporting the troops and supporting the war…It's a tolerance thing," Worden said.

Worden does not believe that his division of the National Guard will be sent to Iraq.

Larson offers some simple words of advice for students who see themselves as the target of anti-military intolerance on campus:

"Go to class. Get good grades. Ignore the protests."