Last November 25 young people took a stand at Berwyn's Morton West High School. Defying authorities, these youths staged a peaceful protest in the school cafeteria. The school administration reacted by suspending the students and threatening them with expulsion.

This protest, simple though it was, brought nationwide attention to the school and to the City of Berwyn. Operation PUSH and other groups took a stand. Parents of the students joined the protest. During a press conference, the Berwyn schools Superintendent Ben Nowakowski was shouted down when he stated that the protest disrupted classes and interfered with the rights of other students. Participants of the protest stated that, on the contrary, the protest was orderly and quiet.

Realizing that to punish these students would cast the school in a bad light, the Superintendent agreed to lift the suspensions of the 25 students and decided not pursue the matter any farther.

This protest was significant in many ways. First it shows that youths, who live in a world of cell phones, personal computers, and many conveniences unknown to previous generations, are able to see the world beyond their own lives. The current view of today's youth, painted by the media is one of two things, either materialistic, self absorbed youths hanging out at shopping malls with genetically attached cell phones, or the other is gang bangers who frighten and scare off adults with roguish behavior. Too often we hear about young people involved in drive by shootings, drug use, gangs and destructive behavior. Yet here we see an example of young people who are willing to risk their school careers and their futures to make a statement.

What further is significant to this writer, as a resident of Berwyn is that the youth of a collar suburb of Chicago have shown great sophistication in their ideology in stating that the war in Iraq is wrong. Berwyn is, after all a blue collar, flag waving community long known for its ethnic mix of central and east European immigrant groups, and more recently Latin American groups. This is a community which only recently has accepted the integration of African Americans. It is a place where you can still go to neighborhood bars and barber shops and listen to the old timers rant (in politically incorrect language) about keeping newer ethnic groups out of the community.

What this protest shows is that the daughters and sons of blue collar immigrants have been able to see the evil in US foreign policy and make a statement. This clearly shows that resistance against the war is cutting across all segments of American society. This is not only occurring at Cal Berkley or Columbia but its going on in the small cities and suburbs across the US.

A recent story on NPR radio affiliate, WBEZ described how Berwyn's city government is seeking to diversify the city. There is some belief that this is rooted in the fact that the city's population is now 50% Hispanic and that there is now a small but growing African American presence in the city. The city, using neighboring Oak Brook as a model, is attempting to attract middle class residents and is using an ad campaign to do so. Selling itself as a inexpensive alternative to inner city living, Berwyn has posted billboards in affluent Chicago communities such as Wicker Park and Lake View. Using slogans like "Why not Berwyn?" or "Berwyn: Its closer than you think," the city is hoping that urbanites will chose Berwyn over life in Chicago.

In fact Berwyn does have a many selling points such as an array of ethnic restaurants and stores, availability to public transportation, and a claim to have the highest concentration of Chicago style bungalows in the world. It is the bungalows which, in fact tend to be most associated with Berwyn. Built in the early half of the 20^th century by immigrant craftsmen, these solid homes are prevalent throughout the city. They are sturdy, attractive and often adorned with stained glass.

If the campaign to attract young middle class residents is successful, it will make Berwyn a more cosmopolitan community. Perhaps this will make the quality of life better. But mostly what this may do is make the world view of the community worldlier. In the past, it was not uncommon to run across older residents who barely left their neighborhood. There still exists a certain siege mentality among a small (and shrinking) number of people who are afraid of what lies outside the city borders.

The protest at Morton proves one thing about Berwyn and that is that the town is no longer a fortress of isolationism. We now see that the youth of the town have embraced the progressive values shared by young people everywhere else.