It’s not easy to care about something. Often, people lobbying for change at NIU feel no one cares, including the school administration, the government and society in general.

Nothing is worse than that. The NIU community must do more to support these causes, or we all might suffer.

“There are so many causes that need someone fighting for them,” said Mike Banghart, vice president of the Northern Illinois Labor Rights Alliance. I talked to Banghart about the LRA’s campaign to change NIU’s free speech zone policy.

The university only has a small area outside of the Holmes Student Center where student organizations can freely demonstrate. When they are outside this zone, they are subject to many restrictions. The Convocation Center, for example, requires those who want to demonstrate to get a permit.

“The restrictions now are too subjective,” LRA member Karl Huck said.

I would agree with him. The restrictions forbid blocking the flow of pedestrian traffic or making noise that disrupts pre-scheduled events. While great in theory, these rules can be easily over-applied. An NIU official could tell demonstrators to stand in a corner and not make any noise that would bother anyone. Gee, activists sure can have an effective demonstration with rules like that.

The LRA hoped that a march and a petition to NIU President John Peters would get the administration to pay attention. Thirty sign-carrying LRA protesters marched around campus on Oct. 8, 2004. They also delivered a petition to President Peters with 400 signatures. In November, the LRA sent an e-mail detailing its proposals for changes.

The university has not yet responded to the LRA. Jo Abbott, Peters’ executive assistant, said the petition and the LRA’s subsequent proposal had been forwarded to NIU’s vice president, provost and legal counsel for review.

The LRA doesn’t think that is enough.

“We’re looking toward doing an action in March if they’re still stalling,” Banghart said. “It seems like a complete lack of response. We think we’ve been reasonable.”

I hope Banghart can get more than 30 protesters marching and 400 people to sign the petitions. With thousands of people in DeKalb and at NIU, much more could be done.

I am sure Cecile Meyer would agree. While many of us are enjoying the comforts of a warm house, this 82-year-old member of the DeKalb Interfaith Network is at the peace vigil on the freezing corner of Lincoln Highway and First Street almost every Friday. Typically, she is joined by 16 to 30 other people.

“There are practically no students,” Meyer said. “I’m surprised, because they’re the one’s who will get drafted if there’s a draft.”

Meyer is circulating a petition demanding the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. It will be sent to Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Barack Obama. Meyer expects to get a few pages signed, but said there should be 15 to 20 pages.

There are many other causes I don’t have time to tell you about, but are equally worthy of attention.

It is up to you, NIU and DeKalb residents, to make sure these voices are heard and supported.

Columns reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Northern Star staff.