Posted on 09/10/2014 11:47:04 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Students at the rally pose to reflect their anti-police brutality slogan, ‘hands up, don’t shoot’.
Students of all races gathered around the Student Union in solidarity Wednesday against police brutality and racism in reaction to the shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri last month.
Together Josh Odam, Christopher Young and Danielle Laroque organized the event.
Odam a sophomore studying political science and legal studies said, “This rally is something that hits home for me because it could have been me, or my brother or my cousin. I don’t want to go to any more funerals with black mothers and black sisters crying because they lost someone to violence and racism. No more.”
“As a black community, we are like one body. It’s been a frequent occurrence, these shootings of unarmed young black men,” said senior sociology student Laroque about why she decided to become involved. “This is a way to show solidarity, to come together and make a change. That’s what we do as student activists.”
When asked why he was involved, economics major Young said, “Black lives matter. That’s all I really have to say.”
Participants wore a piece of red clothing in remembrance of Brown and listened as their fellow students took the floor to tell personal experiences of racism. Cheryl Grandison-Clark, a mathematics major, read an original poem.
Faculty members were present as well, including Armanthia Duncan, a sociology instructor, and Cameron Cox of Residential Life Services. Both spoke to students on the importance of standing up for justice.
Student Government Assoication President Vinayak Rao also attended the rally.
“I came because our Secretary of Diversity Josh Odam was organizing it and we wanted to come by and show our support,” the president said. “As a person of color and an under-represented minority, I think it is important to come together and promote equality. This is what it’s all about.”
While the majority of attendees were from UMass, students came from other parts of the Pioneer Valley to show solidarity.
Rally organizers led the crowd in chanting phrases like “Hands up! Don’t shoot!” and “Ain’t no power like the power of the people because the power of the people don’t stop” and “No justice, no peace, no brutal police.”
Throughout the rally, moments of silence were held in honor of young black people killed by police.
One student speaker shouted out, “I am Emitt Till, I am Trayvon Martin, I am Mike Brown.”
Laurie Senat, a junior studying sociology, attended the rally Wednesday and said, “I feel very passionately about this issue, being Haitian-American and experiencing police brutality through my family. My cousin Gregory was shot and killed by the police, so this is dear to my heart.”
“I hope the UMass campus knows that we are here and that they hear us, and they know we are strong people,” she added. “When we are passionate about something they will hear us.”
Following the rally outside the Student Union, students marched through campus to the Malcom X Cultural Center where a “We Need to Talk” meeting was held.
“I don’t want to go to any more funerals with black mothers and black sisters crying “
then momma, don’t let your child grow up to be a criminal
What a huge rally! must be at least 100-125 there. Out of a total of more than 20,000 students.
I don’t doubt the wisdom of Waylon....lol
Following the rally outside the Student Union, students marched through campus to the Malcom X Cultural Center where a “We Need to Talk” meeting was held.
Well, at least they did a short tribute to
Joan Rivers there at the end.../s
Unreal. They simply CANNOT give up that completely bogus story Brown's convenience store-robbing accomplice told. What a bunch of deluded losers.
Can anyone in the crowd explain what happened that night? They are all quoting a “witness” who admitted that he lied.
Cheryl Grandison-Clark, a mathematics major, read an original poem.
Faculty members were present as well, including Armanthia Duncan, a sociology instructor, and Cameron Cox of Residential Life Services. Both spoke to students on the importance of standing up for justice.
Student Government Assoication President Vinayak Rao also attended the rally.
“I came because our Secretary of Diversity Josh Odam was organizing it and we wanted to come by and show our support,” the president said. “As a person of color and an under-represented minority, I think it is important to come together and promote equality.
Gack, the tripe these jerks put out!
but at least,Cheryl Grandison-Clark
got to read her “original” poem.
# do the the touchdown brown.
...except, apparently, when they are killed by other blacks.
Or when they’re aborted in such horrific numbers that the media ignores it.
Right back atcha, you racist, criminal apologist punks !
This is a poem:
Du bist hier,
für immer ein Teil von mir.
In meinen Träumen,
in meiner Liebe
und in diesem Lied.
I do wonder what they are going to do if they get mugged, raped, or beaten.
Obviously, they won’t be calling the brutal police.
"Political Science" is a poisonous fount of much evil.
Do cops lives matter?
That was my question too. When I was in the prison, we did not allow the bloods and crips to have red or blue clothing, so they could not flag. Red and blue are worn by the Surenos and Nortenos too, but we did not allow them to flag either.
It might be a good idea to stay the heck out of Chicago then.
“Students of all races gathered around the Student Union in solidarity...”
Maybe these students have too much time on their hands, I would suggest they crack a book and try to study and learn something useful. Maybe pursue a needed profession before taking on the social injustices of the world. (When I was in college, that sort of activism cut into our partying and sleep time).
Since they seem to know it all, let them figure out how they are going to earn a living after graduation. Heads up, the best jobs at Mickey Ds are all taken by the undocumented aliens. Maybe they should consider how they are going to earn enough money to pay back those student loans in their lifetimes. After netting student loan expenses, they might not earn as much as the Mickey D guys and gals. (When I was in college, they didn’t have student loans. I had to work weekends as a rock musician in some dives to earn money while working on my Physics degree. I know it was hard work, but somebody had to do it).
Most of these intellectual morons (arts, pre-law, and pre-unemployed dropouts) can’t even decide what kind of a tattoo to have etched on their ass much less how they are going to survive in the real world. Heads up, its a jungle out there. White people get shot, Black people get shot, dogs get shot, that sort of thing. (When I was in college, we didn’t get tattoos because we didn’t want to be identified or easily recognized. Only mean mother f*ckers and sailors had them so we could easily recognize and avoid them. And a lot people over in Vietnam were getting shot which is why staying in college was a good idea at the time.).
Finally, they wouldn’t recognize a social injustice if it hit them upside the head. (When I was in college if someone walked up and knocked you in the head, AND you survived, you kicked their ass, knifed them, or shot them depending on the circumstances to protect your life. There was no 911 to dial).
ping
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