Students gathered Wednesday at BYU to protest Vice President Dick Cheney and Bush Administration policies in light of the VP coming to speak at April's commencement ceremonies. There was also a counter protest in support of Cheney.

A large banner with the Words "Political Dialogue" held center stage with hundreds of students surrounding it holding their own signs.

Signs had messages such as "That's okay, I wasn't using my civil liberties anyway" and "Dick Cheney: The best reason not to impeach Bush" and "Habeas Schmabeus." One large banner levied charges of war profiteering against Cheney because of his relationship with multi-national corporation Halliburton.

While some students said that they want to see Dick Cheney replaced on the program for April commencement, organizers of the protest say that replacing the vice president is not their goal.

Diane Bailey, president of BYU's College Democrats said, "We're here to promote political dialogue."

Macrae McDermott, another member of BYU's College Democrats said that the group's goal was to, "have more political dialogue. A lot of people think differently," she said.

The College Democrats passed out fliers listing their grievances with having the VP speak at the ceremony. Among them are complaints that: "Cheney's controversial actions do not represent a model our students should follow," various issues with the war in Iraq from, the war being "preemptive" to "misleading use of weak intelligence to elicit fear" to ties with Halliburton and no-bid wartime contracts awarded to that firm.

The protest was a peaceful sit-in style with discussions between students but very little shouting and no chanting.

At the BYU College Republicans' counterprotest, students handed out blue armbands, circulated a letter thanking Cheney for agreeing to speak and offered cookies, brownies and lemonade.

They stayed away from political and policy statements, emphasizing instead Cheney's long public service record and the distinction of having a vice president -- any vice president -- come to the school.

"We're not just supporting Dick Cheney," said Amanda Malaman, who was handing out armbands. "We're supporting the decision BYU has made."

College Republicans chairman David Lassen said he knew that viewpoint needed to be expressed when news of the anti-Cheney protests hit national news outlets.

"We decided that we definitely needed to have something to show what the majority of BYU students believe," he said. "This is a vocal minority that has organized themselves well, and I give them credit for that."

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A1.