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Peter Fricke
Investigative Reporter
@FrickePete
on Nov 13, 2015 at 1:11 PM EDT
Protesters want the school president to denounce the actions of students who displayed “All Lives Matter” and “Free Speech” posters.
They also demand she warn the student body that in the future “racially insensitive” speech would merit disciplinary actions.
Students at Amherst College are demanding that the school’s president accede to a list of demands that would effectively eliminate free speech on campus.
The demands, which were presented in person Thursday evening to college President Biddy Martin, are outlined in a letter published by Amherst Soul, which also notes that the students expect action to be initiated within “24-48 hours” and completed by Wednesday, November 18 (roughly six days after they were first issued). If those deadlines are not met, they warn, “we will organize and respond in a radical manner, through civil disobedience.”
“We will organize and respond in a radical manner, through civil disobedience.” Tweet This
The ultimatum grew out of a sit-in held earlier in the day as part of the “Stand with Mizzou” movement, during which members of a variety of student organizations on campus collaborated to identify the actions they believe must be taken in response to the “legacy of oppression” at Amherst, notably through the creation of “safe spaces” and the criminalization of “offensive” sentiments.
“We have begun this movement, Amherst Uprising, in an effort to change the status quo for a more just and inclusive environment within our campus,” the letter states. “We demand that Amherst become a leader in the fight to promote a better social climate towards individuals who have been systematically oppressed.”
First, the students demand that both President Martin and Board of Trustees Chairman Cullen Murphy issue statements apologizing to those impacted by “injustices including but not limited to our institutional legacy of white supremacy, colonialism, anti-black racism, anti-Latinx [sic] racism, anti-Native American racism, anti-Native/indigenous racism, anti-Asian racism, anti-Middle Eastern racism, heterosexism, cis-sexism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, ableism, mental health stigma, and classism.”
Anticipating a negative reaction to their letter, the students also insist that the campus police department “must issue a statement of protection and defense from any form of violence, threats, or retaliation of any kind resulting from this movement.”
More specifically, they want President Martin to denounce the actions of students who displayed “All Lives Matter” and “Free Speech” posters, and to warn the student body that in the future, “racially insensitive” speech would merit disciplinary action.
Not content merely to purge the school of opinions with which they disagree, the students also demand that they be given time off from class and that the school’s mascot be expunged.
continued...http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=6981
Investigative Reporter
@FrickePete
on Nov 13, 2015 at 1:11 PM EDT
Protesters want the school president to denounce the actions of students who displayed “All Lives Matter” and “Free Speech” posters.
They also demand she warn the student body that in the future “racially insensitive” speech would merit disciplinary actions.
Students at Amherst College are demanding that the school’s president accede to a list of demands that would effectively eliminate free speech on campus.
The demands, which were presented in person Thursday evening to college President Biddy Martin, are outlined in a letter published by Amherst Soul, which also notes that the students expect action to be initiated within “24-48 hours” and completed by Wednesday, November 18 (roughly six days after they were first issued). If those deadlines are not met, they warn, “we will organize and respond in a radical manner, through civil disobedience.”
“We will organize and respond in a radical manner, through civil disobedience.” Tweet This
The ultimatum grew out of a sit-in held earlier in the day as part of the “Stand with Mizzou” movement, during which members of a variety of student organizations on campus collaborated to identify the actions they believe must be taken in response to the “legacy of oppression” at Amherst, notably through the creation of “safe spaces” and the criminalization of “offensive” sentiments.
“We have begun this movement, Amherst Uprising, in an effort to change the status quo for a more just and inclusive environment within our campus,” the letter states. “We demand that Amherst become a leader in the fight to promote a better social climate towards individuals who have been systematically oppressed.”
First, the students demand that both President Martin and Board of Trustees Chairman Cullen Murphy issue statements apologizing to those impacted by “injustices including but not limited to our institutional legacy of white supremacy, colonialism, anti-black racism, anti-Latinx [sic] racism, anti-Native American racism, anti-Native/indigenous racism, anti-Asian racism, anti-Middle Eastern racism, heterosexism, cis-sexism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, ableism, mental health stigma, and classism.”
Anticipating a negative reaction to their letter, the students also insist that the campus police department “must issue a statement of protection and defense from any form of violence, threats, or retaliation of any kind resulting from this movement.”
More specifically, they want President Martin to denounce the actions of students who displayed “All Lives Matter” and “Free Speech” posters, and to warn the student body that in the future, “racially insensitive” speech would merit disciplinary action.
Not content merely to purge the school of opinions with which they disagree, the students also demand that they be given time off from class and that the school’s mascot be expunged.
continued...http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=6981
