UI Students for Ralph Nader mourned the death of democracy Tuesday afternoon in a protest against the exclusion of Green Party presidential candidate from Tuesday night's presidential debate in St. Louis.

"We invite all of you to join us if you really care about the environment, if you really care about democracy," said UI senior Adam Sagert, a member of Students for Nader.

Group members trumpeted their message across the Pentacrest with a rendition of "The Saints Go Marching In" accompanied by the lyrics: "Let Ralph debate/Get the word out/Let Ralph debate/Get the word out/Bush and Gore make me want to Ralph."

Approximately 25 people trickled by as the group rallied before a black coffin decorated with the words "Democracy" and "R.I.P." and signs reading "You Can't Spoil a Spoiled System" and "Fight Corporate Greed, Vote Nader."

"It's a symbol of what's going on in the debate," said UI graduate student Jeff Charis-Carlson, a coordinator of Students for Nader. "(The Green Party) is the option to form a real alternative to a two-party system that's becoming more alike than different."

The refusal to allow Nader to join the debate between Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush and Democratic candidate Al Gore is a sign of corporate interest and doesn't uphold democracy, he said.

"Democracy is really dead," said UI senior Joannes Pool, a member of Students for Nader. "Corporate interest means more to the candidates than the people they're supposed to represent."

Pool dressed up as Death for the rally, cloaking himself from head-to-toe in black.

"It seems a little morbid, but I think it's a pretty good representation of the system right now," said UI sophomore Sheila Samuelson, who attended the rally. "It's where we're headed."

The tactics used by Students for Nader aren't too extreme, said some students who attended the rally.

"It's really good that people are socially active," said UI senior Anna Tappa. "It's attention-getting but truthful."

Voting for a third-party candidate isn't as wasteful as some may believe because the Electoral College limits the influence of an individual's vote, Charis-Carlson said. The voice of third-parties strengthens with each vote they receive in the general election, he said.