37 Comments
The Chicano Caucus has just issued a statement regarding the verdicts on the seven stage rushers (will this story never end?), endorsed by four other cultural groups plus SPEaK, declaring that the group “must conclude that bias affected the decisions.” It’s considerably more diplomatic than Karina & Co.’s hit piece, but makes no bones about what it means to censure two Chicano students and let the white kids off easy.
Also in cultural group news: United Students of Color Council elections are tonight (Tuesday). So are CPU elections. And Student Organization of Latinos, and Barnard Organization of Soul Sisters. Guess you’re not supposed to hold positions in any of those at the same time…
UPDATE, Tuesday, 1:45 PM – Elections have been shifted around to not conflict. BOSS elections will take place tonight at 9:00 PM, SOL on Friday at 6:00, and USCC next Monday at 7:00. CPU elections took place last night.
Statement Regarding the Minutemen Protesters
It has come to the attention of Chicano Caucus that the long-awaited decision of the disciplinary proceedings against the Minutemen Protesters has recently been issued by the University. In response to the Minutemen event, the Chicano Caucus organized the protest along Broadway, outside of the auditorium. As we organized this greater protest, and we carried the voice of those most adversely affected by the Minutemen’s cruelty, we are indisputably implicated by the University’s proceedings. Therefore, it is our obligation as an organization to pay close attention to the outcome of this controversial event. We are deeply concerned with the most recent developments.
Of the seven implicated students, three students received censures and the remaining four were given disciplinary warnings. Two of these students are invaluable members of our organization. Both received censures. With the addition of the third censured student, many of us in the Columbia community have noted a pattern: the Latino students were punished, and the rest were warned. As a result of the lack of transparency in the administration’s adjudicating process, this is the conclusion we have been forced to make.
Although the University’s primary complaint against the protesters was their presence on the stage, Chicano Caucus member Martín López never set foot on said stage. Additionally, though he perpetrated no aggression against the presenters, he was kicked in the head once by a Minutemen supporter, and a second time by a prominent member of the College Republicans. In spite of the fact that this violence was filmed and nationally broadcasted by Univision, it has gone unaddressed publicly by the University.
In light of this violence and the lack of transparency in the disciplinary process, we have no choice but to call for an explanation from the Administration. Until the University has provided us an adequate account of the reasoning behind their actions, the Chicano Caucus and its allies must conclude that bias affected the decisions.
The Chicano Caucus
Endorsed by:
Asian American Alliance
Muslim Student Association
SPEaK
Student Organization of Latinos
LUCHA
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37 Comments
@yeah In the words of Jon Stewart, “Congrats, protesters…you’ve actually managed to make Sean Hannity look like the reasonable one.”
@IPooOnYourRhetoric So, in your world, storming the stage and shutting down a speech on school grounds is simply a form of “protesting.”
That, too, is a mighty leap of logic.
@re: nasty shitter those who went up on stage did so to protest, Gilchrist shut down his own speech after Minuetmen loyalists started using violence.
but the bottom line is, those protestors have received disciplinary sentences [justified or not] by the university whereas the real hatemongers Steve Searles and Matt Brown have not.
@defender Frankly, this whole case is garbage. When Steve Searles and Matt Brown defaced a Ruggles suite, it should NOT have been front page news in the Spectator because it was in an enclosed dorm. The two went to court, were found NOT GUILTY, and also were cleared so far as not having to even mention it on job applications and the such. Why? Becuase no one pressed charges, because you are given the right to express yourself in your dorm and/or suite. However, now when it came to a Columbia hearing, they were not given the same due process and they were SUSPENDED for two year.
The Minutemen protestors made our school look horrible and it was completely unproffesional and bordering a hate crime and all they got was a slap on the wrist.
The double standard at Columbia is ridiculus.
@wow so in your world,
racist and antisemitic writing is not a hate crime, while protesting armed border vigilantes is?!?
those are some mighty leaps of logic.
@incorrect What you’re saying is completely incorrect.
First of all, Steve Searles and Matt Brown did NOT go to court. Their case was dismissed after they made a deal and agreed to go to counseling.
Second of all, they vandalized someone else’s suite, not their own.
http://media.www.columbiaspectator.com/media/storage/paper865/news/2006/06/12/News/Ruggles.Vandalism.Case.Dismissed-2043702.shtml
@Karina's piece is wonderful. Getting kicked in the head is definitely the method of choice for standing up for your rights. If they’re interested in holding more demonstrations, I’m willing to be the official Agent of Justice/ Sucker Punch Distributor. ::Punch in the face:: “Thank you for supporting the nonexistent rights of illegal immigrants!”
@hypocrite that’s just hypocritical. these guys were working on their statement over the weekend and could only get it out now. the world doesn’t stop. you’re a hypocrite…why not wait a week before going on bwog and making empty noise?
@well if it took them that long to write a statement about something so important to them, lets raise admissions standards immediately.
@Brats LOVE the fact that the pushy and self-absorbed activists are pushing this out at the same time as the J-school student assault and the tragedy at V Tech. As #25 said, why not try to show a little RESPECT and wait at least a week.
Well, once again, at least we know who the REAL entitled brats really are.
@yeah we shouldn’t expect the world to stop because of the tragedy at VA tech. It doesn’t really help anyone for everyone to stop what they were doing out of respect to the victims, nor does it mean that by resuming our lives we don’t mourn for the loss.
@ugh, more how about instead of ontinuing to bitch and moan, these kids make concrete efforts to enact change in the disciplinary proceedings. oh, asnd also people might take them more seriously if THEY TOO were upfront about everything, (just as they want others to be). look at the video and watch Martin Lopez attack CU security. you know, they’re right he enver “set foot on stage” and he was kicked by a minuteman supporter. Give others what you expect of them,and start being honest with yourselves about what happened.
@Irritated student speaking about not holding down two major positions at a time, how can M Diamond possibly serve as CPR Publisher and CCSC Student Body President? Not only is it way too much of a time commitment, but becuase she gets the final vote on SGB and ABC allocations, and serves as financial director for an SGB group, there are definitely some strained alliances present. CPR really fucked up with that one, one of the two groups will certainly suffer.
@whats worse whats worse is they pretty much created teh position for her. oh well, now her ersume will be EVEN BETTER so lets just all gloss over this and be happy for her
@I hope she ends up a career administrator at columbia. sweet revenge…
@Gah Activists claim racism! What else is new? Snooze.
@maybe you guys should have this talk in a room somewhere because it seems fairly obvious that some of you are heavily invested in this personally and this is really not the appropriate forum for you to be having this discussion. It is important, but it also needs to end soon so everyone can move on and make changes so that life becomes enjoyable again. it’s just a huge downer to have to think about this arguing ALL the time!
@and MAYBE Attempting to shut down argument on the internet is both more difficult and far more counterproductive than surfing away from Bwog, if your objective here is to ‘move on’.
@give john davisson a break for working his ass off to identify the guy. armin’s on spec and should know it wasn’t kulawik but this plumber minuteman.
tomorrow’s the wall event too, btw.
@Watch the tape You can clearly see Lopez’s head going back….and to the left.
Back…and to the left.
@Fuck John Davisson Lopez alleges a second kicker.
Grassy knoll motherfuckers. Grassy fucking knoll.
@damn you for beating me to the joke.
@oh yes the holy spectator, for they have never been wrong!
@Bureacratic bias? Can you imagine if there actually was a real bias incident on campus?
@grammar nazi “if there actually WERE”
@Thanks ‘had been’ would have been better
@Armin Rosen The accusation that Chris Kulawik kicked Martin Lopez in the head has been repeated in various places (including the Blue and White) since the early days of the controversy. Of course it has never been confirmed…
@Fuck Armin Rosen Thanks for defending Kulawik, Armin.
For the record, it has never been confirmed, nor has it been refuted.
@Except That Spectator IDed the guy who kicked, as some other person, not Chris:
http://media.www.columbiaspectator.com/media/storage/paper865/news/2006/10/20/News/Photos.Indicate.Identity.Of.Kicker-2379620.shtml
@yeah yeah, they know who the minuteman is but the Chicano Caucus is alleging there was a second kicker (in a grassy knoll?) in addition to that guy that belonged to the College Republicans.
#9: give Armin Rosen a break. He’s not even defending Kulawik. He just said that the allegations are unconfirmed, which is true; they aren’t. And who cares even if he had been defending Kulawik? It’s not like Kulawik is Stalin. He’s just a republican.
It’s pretty unlikely that Kulawik would kick someone in the head in front of a huge crowd and dozens of cameras. Say what you will about Kulawik, but a foolish strategist, he is not.
@actually the Blue and White said there was no evidence at all
@oh please martin lopez was kicked in the head twice now?
Chicano Caucus is really trying to sell Lopez as this poster boy for peaceful protestor who was assualted and I’m not quite buying it.
Do the minutemen and the “prominent republican” (are they implying kulawik?) have really long legs that can kick from the stage to the crowd fence that was 10 feet away from the edge of the stage? Or were they able to kick him because he’s seen in the Univision tape crossing the barrier and approaching the stage?
So he gets kicked, but rather than, say, *leaving* the area where people are attempting to kick you in the head just decides to sort of stick around by the edge of the stage for the hell of it? Oh, and he was still just peacefully standing by and not participating?
I’m certainly not condoning kicking someone in the head nor do I mean to suggest that anyone deserved to be attacked for simply crossing the barrier, but I’m highly doubtful that Lopez was the passive bystander they’re making him out to be.
@well the process is old though, and the cultural groups aren’t the only ones petitioning against them:
http://media.www.columbiaspectator.com/media/storage/paper865/news/2007/04/16/News/Sgb-Demands.A.Discipline.Review-2843407.shtml
http://media.www.columbiaspectator.com/media/storage/paper865/news/2007/02/05/News/Discipline.Procedures.At.Cu.Prove.Complex-2696790.shtml
@FYI USCC elections are next Monday…They were postponed because of all the other elections going on tonight-
Jennifer Oki
USCC
@Natali Segovia Hey BWOG… SOL Elections are being held on FRIDAY evening from 6-8 pm in the IRC, also to accomodate for other elections. Apparently, whoever wrote this article is not a member of USCC, SOL or any other group holding elections, since we expressly coordinated our changes so that everyone could participate. The Bwog’s lack of objectivity and factual support in this article is astounding.
@hypocrisy is the rules procedure decried by these cultural groups the very same that organizations like FAIR have been arguing against for years because they lack due process protection? if so, they’re the very same set up by a left that was offended that alleged rapists could receive representation – or present their own testimony. to do so was to “let criminals off the hook” – not that any burden of proof had ever been met to make such an accusation.
I applaud the cultural groups for petitioning against these procedures, but their motives are clearly self-interested. if not, they would have been after them long ago. instead, their political allies were both the architects and stalwart defenders of the system.
@oops I was referring to their critiques of the rules procedure itself, not the racism they allege within it. they’re separate issues. for the record though, I doubt the administration is stupid enough to do something that would be seized upon as racist, given the political climate on campus.