MC Rove comes to AU
I would like to take this opportunity to respond to widespread campus concerns following the protest of Karl Rove's presence at the College Republicans' event Tuesday evening. As one of the students who participated in the actions to detain Karl Rove in a citizens' arrest, I speak for all of us in saying we take seriously campus concerns about AU's image in the media and student behavior during the protest.
This action was executed as a means to uphold the values our university represents, both in seeking justice for Rove's criminal actions, as well as holding accountable the student sponsors who promoted an event that was not open to the campus community or a space for honest dialogue. We object to the deliberate attempts to limit objective conversation and debate between students and an engineer of foreign and domestic policies that have devastated many lives.
To speak from my own experience, I was compelled to demonstrate against Rove because I hold the policies he has implemented directly responsible for the permanent emotional and physical damage that my brother, among MANY others, has suffered in Iraq.
In a response to concerns about student behavior, we would like to assure the campus that students practiced nonviolent resistance. Despite receiving heavy-handed treatment, threats and intimidation, not a single person resisted or struck any police or Secret Service officers. Rather than an action that is "unrepresentative of student opinion," we hope this demonstration of conviction assures all witnesses and students that we hold in the highest esteem what this university represents to us. This action upholds Point 11 of the University's 15-point plan to create a "Values Based Institution," in accordance with the "long-held university commitments to such values as human rights and dignity, social justice, environmental protection, diversity, and individual freedom."
Laura Taylor
Sophomore in SIS, Co-facilitator of the Community Action and Social Justice Coalition
What Gandhi did was protest. What Rosa Parks did was protest. What a small contingent of the AU community did in the name of protest during the recent visit of Karl Rove was nothing more than in insult to legitimate protesters everywhere.
Do I like Karl Rove? No. But unlike the "protesters" who disrupted his arrival and departure from campus, I understand that we live in a civilized society. We cannot in one breath preach understanding and acceptance, and with the next breath carry out deplorable actions of intolerance. The group of students who behaved so regrettably must examine their consciences and decide whether their actions were taken in the name of tolerance, or as an affront to it.
The stunt undertaken by this contingent of students not only reflects poorly on all students at AU, but on all college-aged students across the county. Relying on disruptive acts that are not backed by any sort of substance sends the message to the public that people of our age cannot be taken seriously on matters of politics and government. If we ever want to be taken seriously as members of this society and participants in the political process, we must cast aside these ridiculous tactics and start deporting ourselves in a respectable manner.
For the first time since I came to AU, I am ashamed and embarrassed to call myself a member of this community. The name of this school has been tarnished in the media and in the minds of good people across the city and around the world. To the students who acted in this manner, I ask that you not seek reprisal for my words by blocking the door of my dorm or stopping me from getting on the shuttle - this will only confirm my fears about the sheer ridiculousness of many people in our age group.
Jeff Gerber
Sophomore in SOC
I am writing this as way to dispel any myths about what occurred last night and to tell the true story of the protest toward Karl Rove. As self-deputized students, our only action against Karl Rove was to create a citizen's arrest for his violations of the 1978 Presidential Records Act. A worthy cause, considering the act was formed in response to Nixon's actions in the '70s. All of the students involved asked Karl Rove, the president of the College Republicans and members of the club to come forward and speak with us. No one would cooperate with our requests even though they were justified and peaceful.
When Rove came out, about 20 students lay down in front of his car in order to non-violently protest his presence on campus. NO ONE who lay down in front of his car did anything in order to merit the violence that ensued from the Secret Service and Public Safety officers. I stood there and watched as my friends were being violently flung away from the car and had their bare skin dragged across the cement sidewalk. One of my friend's shoulders was dislocated by the force of the officers, and another friend of mine was jabbed twice with a club by an officer. Others who lay down in front of the car were punched in the faces by officers. All of this abuse occurred despite their efforts to remain limp (so as not to incite violence back on the officers). This is not acceptable.
As a reaction to this blatant and unnecessary violence on fellow students, many protesters chased after Rove's car. The only reason this action occurred was because of the actions of the officers. Rove had complete disregard for the violence going on around him and was happily on his Blackberry the whole time he was in his car.
As a student at American University, I could not be more proud of my fellow students for standing up for what they believe in and not backing down in the face of violence. Some people may say that what happened last night was childish and unnecessary, but I think that it is childish to think that change only occurs by bowing down to those in power. What happened last night was a way to show that students and people do have power and that this power can be used in positive ways. We should not harass or look down upon those students who were involved, because they are only following the active tradition of protest in order to create change in the United States.
Brittany Grow
Class of 2007
To whom it may concern,
On Tuesday, AU finally flexed its right to be named the "Most Politically Active Campus" in the country. While I was one of the protestors at the event, I'm not writing this letter to influence your political beliefs. Regardless of how you may feel about what we did, it should not be disputed that the actions of Public Safety and Karl Rove's security detail were appalling.
The students who chose to lie in front of Karl Rove's car posed no threat in their peaceful protest. Yet, when I see a 125-pound girl being hurled the curb by a 300-pound Public Safety officer, or hear my friends being verbally assaulted and chastised as they silently allowed themselves to be dragged away, I really must wonder øX who's being protected? While I have immense respect for the Public Safety officers as a whole, the ones on duty that night handled the situation terribly.
As protestors, we were not throwing rocks or food at his car, nor were we assaulting any of the public safety officers; these were all myths that the local and national media concocted. Had we done so, we would have been arrested, and the fact that there were no arrests speaks to the truth.
While the debate grows fierce across campus, it is important to remember this: whether you supported our actions or not, the less than competent actions of Public Safety must be dealt with immediately. AU students must demand not only an apology, but also be guaranteed change.
Sincerely,
Eugene Johnson
Freshman, SIS
In stitches
I want to commend the staff at The Eagle for an absolutely hilarious edition of the Eagle titled "The Peregrine Falcon." I laughed so hard reading your stories, all of which I thought were very diplomatically and carefully crafted! Bravo to very creative journalism at work.
Issam Khoury
Resident Director, Letts Hall
