Set on the Fairest Path
Falby's path to the College was unconventional, but it was also telling of his determination. As a high school senior, Falby was denied admission to the College and headed instead to Colby College. He admits no particular objections to or dislike for Colby, but still spent much of his freshman year there repeating one aspect of his high school senior year-trying to get into Amherst. "I thought it was a place with lots of people who could do wonderful things," said Falby. However, once he matriculated here, he realized that "There's lots of places where you can find that type of people ... I came here to find out that I didn't need to come here," he said.
Activism at Amherst
Falby freely admits that he had nothing to do with the PSA's inception on the College campus, but he became involved quickly when Iraq became an issue. The PSA, which holds no official political stance, was not formed specifically to protest the war, but, "the war was a vacuum ... [and] somebody had to step in," said Falby. He counts as one of the group's most active members.
Tom Fritzsche '03, another leading member of the PSA, pointed to table tents that Falby spent two and a half hours creating and said "[Falby is] really creative ... He's come up with some of the more interesting ideas we've used this semester. [...] Ben always comes up with a unique way to word something."
Falby was also instrumental in organizing efforts for students to attend some of the bigger anti-war rallies, such as the one in New York City on Feb. 15. "Ben is really down-to-earth and it's really easy to work with him," said Fritzsche. "He is very dedicated and committed, but at the same time easy to talk to."
Unlike many activists, Falby does not criticize apathy at the College. Still, other aspects of inciting activism within the student body were a challenge. "The big thing was trying to figure out which approach would be appropriate for this campus," he said. "By and large, I felt like people agreed with us, but they were unwilling to act."
Regarding his personal reasons for protesting war, Falby said, "I thought it was ideological-ultimately, maybe, an election ploy [...] It's over, it's done; that hasn't changed the way I feel about it."
Falby said he is thankful that the war was short and that the U.S. seems to have stopped its military push after overtaking Iraq. He is optimistic about the future and believes that activism is alive. "People change people, something's happening. I'm not part of something stagnant," he said. "I'm glad I did it."
Not just an activist
At the College, Falby has sung in the concert choir and, starting this year, with bands around campus. "I've been singing my whole life," he said. He plans to begin a band with his brother and a friend who is currently in the army.
In addition to his on-campus activities, Falby has had a unique position with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Every Saturday for the past two years, Falby has supervised visits between non-custodial parents and their children, a difficult task that calls for him to remain a detached observer of some extremely poignant interactions. "I was never quite sure if I was doing something right or not," he said. All of the parents seemed to care for their children, but at the same time he knew that there was probably a reason why they did not have custody.
What the future holds for Falby remains to be seen. However, one thing, is certain for Falby: "I'm going somewhere."