Riot at Columbia University (Free Speech Under Fire)

Got your attention? Good. The one thing I appreciate about our democracy is the ability for people to argue to opposing viewpoints without consequence. No matter if we are offended or insulted by another person's arguments on any controversial issue, they do have a right to express that opinion, and vice versa.

Apparently, this was not the case at Columbia University. According to the powerlineblog.com, the College Republicans sponsored a lecture by Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project.

Moments after Gilchrist took the podium, students from the International Socialist organisation, and other unaffiliated individuals stormed the stage. It is alleged that the Columbia Public Safety officers did nothing to stop them from getting on stage. It was all captured by CTV's Natalie Yammine on tape. Here's another report by the New York Sun on the event.

The students than unrolled a banner that read, in both Arabic and English, "No one is ever illegal." As security guards closed the curtains and began escorting people from the auditorium, the students jumped from the stage, pumping their fists, chanting victoriously, "Si se pudo, si se pudo," Spanish for "Yes we could!"

Mr. Stewart, another member of the Minuteman Project, was African-American and the first speaker before Gilchrist. Protestors interrupted his speech by calling him a racist, a sellout, and a black white supremacist.

One fellow Columbia junior student, Ryan Fukumori, said "These are racist individuals heading a project that terrorizes immigrants on the U.S.-Mexican border. They have no right to be able to speak here."

“The way that we reacted is just what we want him to realize. We do not accept racism in New York or anywhere else, but that’s the reaction that he gets from New Yorkers and I hope that he gets the message,” said one student.

(So New Yorkers get violent if they don't like something.)

“There’s a disconnect between their message and what they actually do and that’s what I have a big problem with,” added another student.

(Easy, the patrolling the border aren't they?)

“He has a history of being aligned with white power forces and racist forces throughout the U.S.,” said one protester.

(Do you have his KKK membership card?)

“Minutemen are not a legitimate voice in the debate over immigration,” added another. “The Minutemen are a group of racist vigilantes who stand on the border with their rifles and call it open hunting season on anyone with brown skin.”

(They are starting to patrol the US-Canadian border too. Are they still racist if they are targeting French and other nationals?)

In response to the actions of the protesters, Columbia College Republican President Chris Kulawik, stated the student protesters "rush to vindicate themselves with monikers like ‘liberal' and ‘open-minded,' but their actions, their attempt to condemn the Minutemen without even hearing what they have to say, speak otherwise. On campus, the Republicans' flyers advertising the event were defaced and torn down.

The college newspaper, Columbia Spectator has more.

Conservative journalist Michelle Malkin has more.

Members BWOG attended the event and did a real-time blog commentary as the events unfolded. (Link)

The NY Daily News reports

NY1 News reports

The Gothamist - Minutemen Insanity at Columbia

Quando.net - 1st Amendment Right? What 1st Amendment Right?

Redstate - Minuteman Founder attacked at Columbia University

Here are some groups that spread the word about the Minutemen lecture:

Flactivist - Notice

Columbia Spectator did a previous article on groups that prepared for the protest - Link

Posting on Google Groups - Link

A.N.S.W.E.R. - Link

O'Reilly Factor (FoxNews) - Talking Points 10/05 - O'Reilly gives his opinion on the protest at Columbia

Bad News in Coverage

So far, I have not seen the Columbia protest mentioned on CNN.com, ABCNews.com, MSNBC.com, news12.com, starledger.com, or USAToday.

Related Links

Columbia College Republicans Web Site

Chicano Caucus Home Page

The Minuteman Project

* * * * * *

According to the Rules of University Conduct at the University:

The Rules of University Conduct (Chapter XLI of the Statutes of the University) provide special disciplinary rules applicable to demonstrations, rallies, picketing, and the circulation of petitions. These rules are designed to protect the rights of free expression through peaceful demonstration while at the same time ensuring the proper functioning of the University and the protection of the rights of those who may be affected by such demonstrations.

The Rules of University Conduct are University wide and supersede all other rules of any school or division. Minor violations of the Rules of Conduct are referred to the normal disciplinary procedures of each school or division ("Dean's discipline"). A student who is charged with a serious violation of the Rules has the option of choosing Dean's discipline or a more formal hearing procedure provided in the Rules.

Press Release by the Chicano Caucus on the riot:

On behalf of the Chicano Caucus Executive Board, I would like to clarify for the Columbia community any misunderstandings that may have arisen from tonight's chain of events. While we were the chief organizers of the protest outside Roone Arledge, we were not responsible for any of the actions that led to the termination of the event. It is unfortunate that the series of events escalated to a point of violence. We feel that it is important to discuss and bring to light important issues concerning immigration, though they should be done in a peaceful manner. While we do not agree with Mr. Gilchrist and his organization's views, we respect everyone's right to freedom of speech and regret that his opinion was not heard.

Sincerely,
Adhemir Romero
Chicano Caucus President

* * * * *

Press Release by Members of the International Socialist Organisation:

We celebrate free speech: for that reason we allowed the Minutemen to speak, and for that same reason we peacefully occupied the stage and spoke ourselves. Our peaceful protest was violently attacked by members of the College Republicans and their supporters, who are the very same people who invited the Minutemen to our campus in the first place. The Minutemen are not a legitimate voice in the debate on immigration. They are a racist, armed militia who have declared open hunting season on immigrants, causing countless hate crimes and over 3000 deaths on the border. Why should exploitative corporations have free passes between nations, but individual people not? No human being is illegal.

* * * * *

Robert Hornsby, a Columbia spokesman, said the university "deplores the disruption that took place."

Statement released by Columbia University

Note: Yet, later today, the University has decided to put the entire blame for the riot on the College Republicans for bringing a controversial group on campus. It is very likely the group will be punished, not the groups which stormed the stage and caused the violent confrontation. Strange enough, according to some eyewitnesses, security at the event was not sufficient.

Party for Socialism and Liberation Spin it their way

In their latest stab at the day's events, they alleged that Minutemen thugs attacked their members who stormed the stage to disrupt the speech. Quite a way for them to spin them as the victims when they are the ones who stormed the stage in the first place as a show of violent protest.

Author's Opinion

I do have to wonder if the protestors knew the exact objective of the Minuteman Project. Did they do enough research? Or did they instead just listen to the tirade of other students or unaffiliated individuals without evidence? Causing 3000 deaths at the border is pretty far-fetched, and I would not be surprised if anyone attempted to get evidence supporting that fact, they would be called a racist.

The Columbia University student government should pass a resolution condemning the violence that took place at the event, the administration should take action to prevent similar reactions from occurring in the future, and the protest groups involved should apologise for their actions and lack of responsiblity. I find the response by the Chicano Caucus to be unworthy of an apology. Their mention that the actions were "unfortunate" shows that they knew violence would be the end result and did not do enough to restrain their members and other protest groups.

The International Socialist Organization knew what would happened when they sent two of their members on stage to unfurl the "No one is ever illegal" banner.

The obvious intent of the protest is to disrupt Mr. Gilchrist's speech. It is that simple. They knew by advertising the event publicly, it would allow other individuals to attend and cause undue violence.

Question 1: Is it even possible to consider that members of the Minutemen could be pro-immigrant but anti-mass immigration?

Question 2: Are the Minutemen really are racists? How can ensuring a secured border relates to racism? If you catch someone going through your back fence, are you a racist?

Question 3: A protestor stated that "the Minutemen are not a legitimate part of the debate on immigration." You telling me that the International Socialist Organisation is legitimate? That's absolute bollux!

Question 4: Protestors are demanding full rights for immigrants. Please define "full rights." They would need to pay taxes, right? They would need to actually obey our laws, right?

Columbia University alumni should contact the University President to note their disgust at the way the administration handled the event. Every other alumni and student at every institution should register their displeasure too.