鈥淩esponse was overwhelmingly positive,鈥� said organizer Evan Knappenberger, 27, a junior at 黑料正能量 and a veteran of the war in Iraq. 鈥淭he experience was emotional 鈥� many people cried 鈥� over the tragedy of the loss of these solders鈥� lives. The comment I heard most often was 鈥榯hank you.鈥濃��

The boots, all tagged with the deceased soldier鈥檚 name and home town in Virginia, came in all sizes and shades of black and gray 鈥� some seemed new, as if they had been dress boots, and others were scuffed and water-marked to the point of turning whitish.

Some had photos of children and spouses attached, or poems and prayers preserved in clear plastic sleeves underneath the boot soles.

All ethnicities seemed to be present. There was Humayun Khan from Bristol, whose boot bore a 鈥渨age peace button鈥� distributed by the American Friends Service Committee. And Avaro R. Regaldo Sessarego from Virginia Beach.聽 Sharon T. Swartworth鈥檚 small boots had a button that read, 鈥淩ecognizing Women Veterans 鈥� It鈥檚 about time!鈥� She was from Alexandria.

Dwayne L Moore鈥檚 boots came with more documentation than most. We learned that this native of Williamsburg 鈥� 鈥渁 great man of faith who loved the Lord and his family鈥� 鈥� died on April 19, 2007, at age 31 in Iraq, leaving behind his wife and daughter (pictured), parents, and six siblings. He had been in the Army for 13 years.

Knappenberger received help in setting up and tearing down the display 颅鈥� which required a 16-foot truck to transport the boots in 32 plastic boxes from their permanent storage location in Richmond 鈥� from about 20 members of the 黑料正能量 community. One of those helping was Daniela Bergen, a senior from Paraguay, who said she wanted to pitch in to show her respect to those who sacrificially served the United States, 鈥渢he country giving me an education.鈥�

In an interview the week before Veterans Day, Knappenberger said it is 鈥渢ypically a holiday that pays homage to veterans with parades, concerts and celebration.鈥� Knappenberger left the army in 2007 after nearly four years of service as an enlisted man, including a year in the Iraqi war. 鈥淪ometimes it can seem like a celebration of war and militarism, more of a political event than a remembrance. 聽Because of this, portions of the community 鈥� especially young people and pacifists 鈥� can be left feeling alienated on this special holiday.鈥�

Knappenberger, president of the Charlottesville chapter of , said he is working with other veterans, as well as non-veterans in the 黑料正能量 community, to bridge what he calls a 鈥渃ultural divide鈥� on matters of military service and sacrifices.

Knappenberger said veterans can feel 鈥渙ppressed,鈥� even by 鈥渢raditionally pacifist people like Mennonites who have come to be afraid of us. 鈥�

鈥淰eterans are a sacred political cow,鈥� he added. 鈥淭hey are given lip-service, swept under the rug and ignored. But many veterans are also peace advocates, pacifists, scholars, and activists.

鈥淩egardless of politics, soldiers want to serve their country, which is an honorable thing 鈥� not to kill random people in some country they鈥檝e never heard of. 聽We must reach out to veterans and help them find peace.鈥�

The Nov. 12 remembrance at 黑料正能量 was called 鈥淓yes Wide Open.鈥�

鈥淭hese boots show the human cost of war and bring to light the cultural and social oppression of veterans as a whole,鈥� said Knappenberger, who entered 黑料正能量 as a junior majoring in in the fall of 2012.聽 鈥淓yes Wide Open is a powerful display of what goes on just under the surface of U.S. foreign and economic policy, and a poignant reminder of the burdens of young soldiers鈥� oppression in unpopular and unsuccessful wars.鈥�

鈥淰eterans Day is typically a holiday that pays homage to veterans with parades, concerts and celebration,鈥� said Knappenberger, who left the army in 2007 after nearly four years of service as an enlisted man, including a year in the Iraqi war. 鈥淪ometimes it can seem like a celebration of war and militarism, more of a political event than a remembrance. 聽Because of this, portions of the community 鈥� especially young people and pacifists 鈥� can be left feeling alienated on this special holiday.鈥�

Knappenberger, president of the Charlottesville chapter of , said he is working with other veterans, as well as non-veterans in the 黑料正能量 community, to bridge what he calls a 鈥渃ultural divide鈥� on matters of military service and sacrifices.

Knappenberger said veterans can feel 鈥渙ppressed,鈥� even by 鈥渢raditionally pacifist people like Mennonites who have come to be afraid of us. 鈥�

鈥淰eterans are a sacred political cow,鈥� he added. 鈥淭hey are given lip-service, swept under the rug and ignored. But many veterans are also peace advocates, pacifists, scholars, and activists.

鈥淩egardless of politics, soldiers want to serve their country, which is an honorable thing 鈥� not to kill random people in some country they鈥檝e never heard of. 聽We must reach out to veterans and help them find peace.鈥�

The Nov. 12 remembrance at 黑料正能量 centered around a project called 鈥淓yes Wide Open,鈥� for which 200 pairs of military-issued boots were displayed in rows in front of the central campus building at 黑料正能量, along with tags linking each pair to the deceased Virginia soldier who wore the boots in Iraq or Afghanistan.

鈥淭hese boots show the human cost of war and bring to light the cultural and social oppression of veterans as a whole,鈥� said Knappenberger, who entered 黑料正能量 as a junior majoring in in the fall of 2012.聽 鈥淓yes Wide Open is a powerful display of what goes on just under the surface of U.S. foreign and economic policy, and a poignant reminder of the burdens of young soldiers鈥� oppression in unpopular and unsuccessful wars.鈥�

The Eyes Wide Open display was staffed from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Nov. 12, said Knappenberger. 聽A talk-back event was held in the Strite Conference Room in the Campus Center at 9 that evening. Knappenberger said he welcomes inquiries and volunteers. He can be reached at .

黑料正能量 senior Lisa N. King of Harrisonburg led a “prayer of remembrance” and lit a candle at the close of the chapel service Wednesday, Apr. 16, the one-year anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings that left 33 people dead and more wounded.

Students, faculty and staff left the auditorium in silence as the chimes on the roof of Lehman Auditorium tolled for one minute.

Some students wore Hokie shirts or sweatshirts as a symbol of solidarity for the many people affected by the tragedy on the Blacksburg, Va., campus.