NIU’s College Republicans plan to protest Soviet aggression with speeches from Rep. John Countryman, R-DeKalb, and other party leaders at an all-night vigil tonight.

Countryman said, “I will be talking to students mainly about Soviet aggression in Afghanistan.”

He said he wants to bring students’ attention to pressuring the Soviets to get out of Afghanistan.

Gary Yambor, College Republicans member, said speakers will include Countryman, Gary Glenn of the political science department, a representative from Congressman Dennis Hastert’s office, representatives from Washington and leaders from the Afghan Freedom Fighters movement.

Yambor said after the program, participants will try to talk to people coming out of the library and inform them of the Soviets’ aggression.

Michael Neimark, chairman of the 1988 vigil committee, said the Second Annual Candlelight Vigil will begin at 8:00 p.m. tonight in King Memorial Commons with an hour and a half long program, featuring guest speakers and followed by questions and answers for the rest of the night.

Yambor said there will be literature on everything from Soviet human rights violations to the aggression in Poland, Afghanistan and Nicaragua.

He said, “Residence experts from the Afghan war hopefully will be there if students have any questions to ask them.”

Neimark said representatives, on behalf of presidential candidates Bob Dole and Pat Robertson, will speak on “rolling back” on communism if these candidates are elected.

Neimark said he will speak on the Strategic Defense Initiative, the present situation of two-thirds of Americans seeing Communism in South America and will mention the problems in El Salvador and Afghanistan.

John Morreale, Young Democrat chairman, said he thinks this rally serves little purpose.

He said, “I would prefer to see them (the College Republicans) participate in the Day of Action.”

They should support and be more involved in higher education, Morreale said.