The National Conference on Organized Resistance met on our campus for the ninth time this past weekend. The hordes of activists that it drew together could not possibly been missed, especially by anyone trying to shuffle down to TDR on Saturday afternoon. While we at the Eagle support the idea of revolutionary voices convening to share and discuss their ideas in what some could consider un-revolutionary times, it must also be noted that the NCOR presence this year was much more in-your-face than ever before. This is more than likely because the conference was held in Mary Graydon Center instead of Ward this year, resulting in a highly claustrophobic feeling for both NCOR participants and AU students alike. So while many people were offended by the sheer numbers (which were estimated to be much higher than in years past), it is important to remember that the purpose and mission behind NCOR is not the culprit. The conference's expansion is a positive thing, bringing more attention from a diverse population to our school as well as incorporating the D.C. community at large into our campus. Despite all that, the conference remained controversial this weekend. The Eagle does not condone catty expressions of discontent from either side, whether it's frat guys spraying MGC with Lysol or activists berating hapless passersby who happen to be carrying Starbucks coffee cups. This kind of unnecessary and aggressive response to an undesirably close situation is not in the spirit of either NCOR's harmonious ideologies or AU student camaraderie. Likewise, the backlash against NCOR was fairly minimal and in general not pertaining to the actual message behind the conference - this is indeed an example of AU living up to its reputation as a liberal, welcoming campus. Nonetheless, this is not the first time that NCOR has been met with mixed reactions of all kinds and we must remember that it is not too much for AU to donate its campus for one weekend to a conference held under the auspices of such a positive message. Ideally, the AU administration and NCOR organizers will find some kind of neutrality so that the two can co-exist in peace for years to come.
