Cindy Sheehan statement
I am appalled that students exercising their (fully sanctioned)
rights to free speech and to peaceably assemble were abused by law
enforcement officials. The right to patriotically dissent from our
government is a sacred right and these students should be given
commendations, not black eyes. They were claiming their places in our
democracy. The people who mistreated them should be the ones who are
being investigated for their brutality and heavy-handed over-reaction,
not the students.
Cindy Sheehan
Peace Mom and Founder of Gold Star Families for Peace
International Solidarity from the UK
Please convey our support and solidarity to the students who were
attacked for protesting. The war criminals Bush and Blair are
increasingly resorting to force to silence debate. Only last week an 82
year old Labour Party member _a founder member of CND and a current
member of our steering committee_ was ejected from Labour’s conference
for criticising policy on Iraq. New laws which restrict our civil
liberties are being pushed through parliament. We send our best wishes
to you all and assure you that many people in Britain know of and
support your protests.
best wishes,
Lindsey German, convenor
Andrew Murray, chair
Stop the War Coalition
Tom Hayden statement
I am writing to demand a full investigation of the recent police
assault on students on your campus. The students should not be
repressed or punished for being ahead of their time. The use of any
pepper spray or gas has far greater health effects than recognized
officially, in part because studies by state health officials have been
suppressed in my state, California. Its use for crowd control should be
terminated. TOM HAYDEN
Charles Jenks statement
It is outrageous - and certainly illegal - that this student
activist is, in effect, suspended if not expelled from his academic
program, and potentially fired from his job, by the college’s simple
action of issuing a ‘do not trespass’ notice to him. If this is an
attempt by the college to evade due process requirements, it will not
stand. If this was an act by the campus police acting without authority
of the college, it will not stand. The law demands due process. This
student may not be barred from campus, and prevented from attending
classes and going to work, without a full and fair investigation and an
impartial hearing of the facts. Justice demands no less.
New York City Labor Against the War statement
From NYCLAW:
New York City Labor Against the War condemns the attack on
Charles T. Peterson and other protesters against military
recruitment. This is part of an ongoing attempt since 9/11
to silence those who speak out against unjust U.S. wars,
both at home and abroad. We applaud your courage, and fully
support demands made by the Anti War Coalition at Holyoke
Community College.
Michael Letwin
NYCLAW Co-Convener
Former President, Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW
Local 2325
Dave Zirin statement of support
It is an absolute outrage that Holyoke Community
College, located in the supposed liberal confines of
Western Mass., would support the police battery and banning of
a student aiming to express his right to free speech.
HCC is proudly standing with forces of reaction aiming
to silence people with very just grievances about the
direction of US foreign policy, and the mercenary way
the armed forces are attempting to make up for
historic shortfalls in troop recruitment.
Rest assured I will use every means at my disposal to
shine light upon the craven actions of this
administration. Injustice always festers in darkness,
Sincerely,
Dave Zirin
Air America Radio
Author What’s My Name Fool? Sports and Resistance in
the United States
Hadas Thier, Nick Bergreen and Justino Rodriguez statement
We were outraged to hear of the repression against our brothers and
sisters at Holyoke Community College, who committed no crime but to
peacefully protest militarism at their school. Last spring, when the
campus police and administration at the City College of New York tried
to silence us with brutality, arrests and suspension, antiwar activists
on and off our campus rallied to our side, helping to win our
reinstatement. We’re certain that just as our voices could not be
silenced, neither will your’s. We stand with you in your struggle to
return Charles Peterson to his rightful place in the college community,
and to return freedom of speech to its rightful place in an instution
that is supposed to be dedicated to higher learning. Your dedication to
the ongoing and growing movement against the military’s discriminatory
and predatory policies is an inspiration.
Yours in struggle,
Nick Bergreen
Justino Rodriguez
Hadas Thier
of the ‘City College 4′
Ward Reilly statement
Dear CAN,
I am the S.E. National Contact for VVAW [Vietnam Veterans Against
the War] and VFP [Veterans for Peace], two veterans organizations.
I
am writing to express my outrage at both the "Campus Republicans" and
the campus police's actions towards peaceful counter-recruiters.
When
the student republicans start urging violence against other students
for something as basic as counter-recruiting, it says a lot about their
ideals and their cause, in this case their obvious support for a
fascist president that is leading us into WWIII, or "Dubya Dubya III",
as I like to call it.
As the administration starts to crumble,
as it is, and it's "leaders" start to fall through criminal
indictments, you can expect more and more anger from those that have
blindly supported their criminal actions.
I urge ALL students
that are oppossed to the disaster in the Middle East and this horrid
administration to stand and scream out loud that this is NOT what this
country is all about, and we will NOT sit idly by and allow our nation
to be ruined by the neocons, men and women that simply USE republicans
to get what they want.
The student republicans are little more than sheep or lemmings, blindly
following fools that never served anything but themselves.
Bush went AWOL from the NG, and Cheney got 5 deferments to avoid serving at all, and what more do you have to say?
Fight
on Campus Antiwar Network....I am in south-Louisiana, and I can tell
you first hand about these "compassionate conservatives" and how well
they will take care of us in times of need, as in NOT AT ALL!. And now
you have gotten a taste of what their philosophy really is. Police
force against innocent citizens, simply exercizing their constitutional
rights.
It's time to throw the criminals out of office, and get our troops home NOW!
Keep up the great work CAN!
Peace from Ward Reilly in Baton Rouge
SE National Contact, VVAW & VFP
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Phil Gasper statement
The attack by Holyoke Community College security officers on
students peacefully protesting the presence of military recruiters on
campus, has outraged members of the academic community around the
country. Just as shocking is the College’s decision to ban one of the
students from campus without even the pretense of impartiality or due
process.
HCC’s actions are violations of the basic principles of academic
freedom. They are even more reprehensible given that the victimized
students have justice on their side. We are currently in the third year
of an illegal and immoral war of aggression, which has killed over
100,000 people, including nearly 2,000 members of the US armed forces.
Shame on HCC for assaulting and harassing students with the integrity
and courage to protest the continued occupation of Iraq, the war
criminals responsible for it, and the homophobic polices of the US
military.
Professor Phil Gasper
Chair, Department of Philosophy & Religion
Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, California
Member, Professors for Peace
Bonnie Weinstein Letter to HCC President
Dear Dr. William Messner,
I called your office yesterday morning (San Francisco time) to strongly
object
to the treatment of counter-recruitment protesters by your college as
they exercised their right to protest the attempt by the military to
grab young people to fight an illegal, immoral and inhuman war.
This government has attacked a country without any provocation so it
is not surprising that these kinds of attacks are happening on college
campuses here in this country. It is not surprising, but it is still
horrifying and will not be tolerated!
When I called your office, Dr. Messner, your secretary answered. I felt
sorry
for her because she was noticeably disturbed by the reports she was
hearing from those of us who called about how students were being
attacked at her school. But she had no way of even knowing what was
actually happening. I quickly informed her that the whole country is
being informed about what was taking place that day at Holyoke
Community College.
To read the report this morning of what happened in detail brings
shame to you, Dr. Messner and to the College. You should be fired for
your handling of this incident.
The military has billions of dollars to spend hunting down it’s prey of
human
cannon fodder. You can be sure, even though we may not have the
billions to spend, the recruiters will not visit campuses without there
being counter-protest opposition from us! We will not go away! And, we
will not let the military loose on our schools without consequences.
This is a life or death situation!
Every time the military comes to Holyoke or any campus they will not
be left to carry out their crimes (lying to students about the supposed
advantages of military service–lies which could cost students their
life) without vigorous objection being voiced by those of us opposed to
military recruitment in our schools and to this government’s war
objectives!
Further, there is every reason to ban the military from the campuses
since they openly practice discrimination against gay people. Our
campuses are supposed to be free of discriminatory practices!
The counter-recruitment movement is growing as quickly as opposition
to the war is growing. Military recruiters will face opposition every
where they go! And we have every right to organize these protests on
school campuses, in front of recruitment offices–anywhere the military
has a presence!
After all, they are carrying out an illegal war based upon lies.
They demand that gay people keep silent about their own identity. They
lie about every aspect of military life to dupe young people into
joining. They even lie about how long new recruits will have to stay in
the Armed Services.
There is nothing in campus rules that says you have to allow such
lying, corrupt, homophobic organizations to contact students. In fact,
schools are supposed to be places where students are protected from
such organizations!
It is clear that his bi-partisan government has every intention of
continuing
their path of war, death and destruction to protect American big
business interests. We have every intention to put a stop to their
plunder!
The military has become entrenched in our schools from kindergarten to
graduate
school. They focus their attentions on the most disadvantaged students.
This is an economic draft of the poorest of the poor and is
unconscionable! We want them out of our schools and away from our
children!
We want money for schools not for war! If our kids want to go to
college let them go! Why should they have to fight and take a chance of
being killed in a war because they are too poor to go to school?
If the military wants to hunt for cannon fodder let them go to the
children of the Congress and the Senate to get their bootie of
recruits! Make the Bush twins sign up! Schools are no place for the
military!
We will continue our protests against military recruiting, you can count on it!
Which side are you on Dr. Messner? You are supposed to be on the side of students!
Sincerely,
Bonnie Weinstein, San Francisco
Bay Area United Against War
www.bauaw.org
Brian Willson statement
Police Should Be Prosecuted For Assaulting Students; Military Recruiters Should Be Banned From Campuses, October 2, 2005
The recent police assault on students protesting military recruiters
at Holyoke Community College continues patterns of police repression at
campuses such as George Mason University, University of Wisconsin, and
the University of California. These unprovoked police assaults are
criminal in nature and directly squash expression of constitutionally
protected free speech.
Therefore, the police should be prosecuted for violating the law
against assault and battery, and sued for violating citizen’s
Constitutional rights
Furthermore, students are rightfully protesting military recruiters
on campus. U.S. military recruiters should now be prohibited because
they are participating in acts (recruitment) that discriminate against
persons on the basis of sexual preference, violating protected civil
rights, and are inducing with numerous misrepresentations the signing
of contracts with young people who, it can be reasonably predicted,
have a great probability of being ordered to participate in acts
prohibited under international law and the U.S. Constitution, i.e.,
crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Recruiters directly accrue personal gain from this prohibited
behavior. Matching or not superior-mandated recruiting quotas relate
directly to increased/decreased pay grades. Thus, recruiters are
accessories to commission of crimes and participate in a conspiracy
with superiors to meet quotas (1) without regard to telling the truth,
(2) through uttering various misrepresentations, and (3) perpetrating
unwanted harassment.
S. Brian Willson, J.D., LL.D.
Member, coordinating Committee, Humboldt Bay Veterans For Peace, Arcata, CA
Commissioner, Arcata City Nuclear Free Zone and Peace Commission
David Swanson’s letter
From David Swanson
Freedom of speech and assembly are under attack around the country,
and college campuses are some of the most valuable places where we must
not let those freedoms be taken away. Your courage in standing up to
this assault on your rights is admirable and should be promoted as an
example to others. And, while your rights should be defended even if —
and especially if — your views are controversial and shared only by a
minority, you should remain aware that in this case your views are
shared by a majority, and an active majority, and a movement that has
begun to show its muscle. As one member in one small corner of that
movement, I think it is safe to say, we’ve got your back. Let the
country know what happens, and the antiwar movement will respond.
David Swanson is creator of MeetWithCindy.org, co-founder of the
AfterDowningStreet.org coalition, a writer and activist, and the
Washington Director of Democrats.com. He is a board member of
Progressive Democrats of America, and serves on the Executive Council
of the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild, TNG-CWA. He has worked as
a newspaper reporter and as a communications director, with jobs
including Press Secretary for Dennis Kucinich’s 2004 presidential
campaign, Media Coordinator for the International Labor Communications
Association, and three years as Communications Coordinator for ACORN,
the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. Swanson
obtained a Master’s degree in philosophy from the University of
Virginia in 1997. His website is www.davidswanson.org
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