Protest Against Sharpton Speech at Columbia

8/6/2001 | Ron Lewenberg

[rmlew]

To Whom it may concern,
Al Sharpton will be the Columbia Political Union speaker for the Columbia College Student Council Re-orientation event on Sunday September 9th from 5 p.m. -7 p.m. in Roone Arledge Auditorium, Alfred Lerner Hall
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ccsc/events.html

Because of Reverend Sharpton's history of racial incitement, he is an unsuitable speaker and will set back race relations at Columbia. The tacit endorsement by the Columbia Political Union and Columbia College Student Council for Sharpton institutionalizes a soft-bias against Jews and all whites. As the first speaker of the year, Sharpton will be setting a tone of mistrust divisiveness for the entire year.

I believe that this situation merits both a response and a protest.
The Columbia College Conservative Club will be holding a protest from 4:30-7PM on Sunday outside of Alfred Lerner Hall (115th and Broadway).

Below is my response the Sharpton speaking and the internal announcement for the event within the CPU.
Sincerely,
Ron Lewenberg,
President, Columbia College Conservative Club
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/conservative

PS. There should be coverage from the New York Post. Bring your friends.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2001 17:28:41 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ron Maximilian Lewenberg
To: Yoni Appelbaum
Subject: Re: [Fwd: VERY IMPORTANT - READ IMMED.]

Yoni,
I have many problems with Al Sharpton being the CCSC re-orientation speaker. I understand, respect, and endorse the CPU policy of inviting speakers of all stripes. The reverend is a significant political leader and is worth having as a speaker at some point. Re-orientation is supposed to bring the community together. It is not the appropriate venue for Reverend Sharpton.

He is not just a racist demagogue and rabble-rouser. Sharpton is a race-baiter who has incited two riots, which ended in murder. 10 years ago he was instrumental in inflaming tensions around the accidental death of Gavin Cato. This lead to a riot, if not a pogrom, and the brutal murder of Yankel Rosenbaum. Far from being chastened, Sharpton continued his racial demagoguery. After the jury acquitted Limerick Nelson, who was later found guilty in a federal civil-rights trial, Sharpton congratulated the killer of Mr. Rosenbaum. 5 years later, Sharpton led a series of protests and boycotts against non-black businesses in Harlem ending with the murderous rampage at Freddy's on 125th street in 1995. Sharpton called the owners of Freddy's "White interlopers" and "Jewish blood-suckers." Sharpton also helped orchestrate and perpetuate a racially divisive fraud in the Tawana Brawley case, which threatened to tear the city apart.

Reverend Al Sharpton, a Black David Duke, is totally unsuitable as the CPU speaker at CCSC Reorientation. It would only divide the community and promote racial hatred, if not actual violence. Having Sharpton speak at Re-orientation would reflect poorly on the CPU, the university, and the community. I strongly urge you to reconsider. The issue is not free speech. Sharpton can and should speak. Re-orientation is not the proper venue for Reverend Sharpton.

Ron Lewenberg,
CCCC

On Tue, 28 Aug 2001, Yoni Appelbaum {General Manager, CPU} wrote:
> As per this e-mail, we have invited the Rev. Al Sharpton to speak at
> Columbia. If any member of the Board has a problem with this invitation,
> please contact me directly, as soon as possible. > I don't agree with his politics, and I have serious questions regarding
> his credibility, his unsubstantiated attacks on people who have been
> proven to be innocent of any crime, and statements of his that could be
> construed as racist or anti-Semitic. Nevertheless, it has been the CPU's
> policy to invite political speakers of all stripes to this campus, and
> to let the student body decide for themselves. I expect all of you will
> agree with me that Al Sharpton is a significant force in the New York
> political world, and that he will draw students into political debate.
> For those of you who, like me, have questions about his politics or
> positions, I suspect that there is no better way to raise those
> questions than to bring him to campus.
> We will, as always, be happy to work with any student groups who wish to
> protest the event to ensure that they are given a space in which to do
> so that both provides them with the requisite visibility, and meets the
> security and logistical needs of the event. >
> Yoni Appelbaum
> General Manager

[xm177e2]

> I don't agree with his politics, and I have serious questions regarding
> his credibility, his unsubstantiated attacks on people who have been
> proven to be innocent of any crime, and statements of his that could be
> construed as racist or anti-Semitic. Nevertheless, it has been the CPU's
> policy to invite political speakers of all stripes to this campus

They invite a guy from StormFront, they've killed fewer people than Al Sharpton (2).

[brat]

WTG Columbian Conservatives!!! Hope we'll get a report on the action!

[Alpenkatze]

I guess they should have the speakers they want. I think they made a good point here: Sharpton is nothing more than a black David Duke. The thing that gets me here is that David Duke was knocked down by whites and the general population. I don't understand why so many blacks follow this man. Few speak out against him (or Jessie Jackson). I hope this doesn't mean that they really see things the same way he does. Thank God for people like the Rev. Jessie Lee Peterson...

[rockfish59]

drop dead, al!

[mrustow]

I don't understand why so many blacks follow this man. Few speak out against him (or Jessie Jackson). I hope this doesn't mean that they really see things the same way he does.

Unfortunately, they do. As I'm against repression, I think the thing to do is to have two groups. One group, inside, sitting in the center of the auditorium or sprinkled throughout, would rise, at the beginning of Sharpton's speech, turn, and march out. The second group, outside, would wave placards with sayings like, "Rev. Race Hoax," "Tawana Lied," "Rev. Lynch Mob," "Remember the Dead of Freddie's," and "Racist Interloper!" They could also shout, "No justice, no peace!"

[Republic]

ALRIGHT!!! Sharpton is one more jerk that PC overlords hold up and force upon our black population. Jesse Jackson, extortionist extraordinaire and extraordinary thug, and ol Al Sharpton are sick men who walk to the beat of fame of money. The PC overlords have MUCH INVESTED in keeping the plantation slaves in line, dumbed down, desparately fooled and feeling like major victems, with broken spirits, so that they can offer up their false promises and garner votes. Jesse and Al are their tools.

[headsonpikes]

C'mon! Al's a freakin' statesman compared to say...Hillary.;^)

[rmlew]

I have invited Alan Keyes. However, Mr. Keyes was not invited for this event. The CPU, of which I'm a dissenting member, wanted a "mainstream" speaker.
Ron

Seriously, if you are in the NYC area, please drop by. We need the numbers and signs.

[FreedomPoster]

Italians off?

Close your tags.

[FreedomPoster]

One more time.

[VMI70]

"...Al Sharpton is a significant force in the New York political world..."

My response to this is: Why?

At most, the maunderings of this guy is worth 2 column inches of ink in Section Z every 5 years. FReegards,

[gunnedah]

The problem here is that white people in general have been brainwashed and are very gullible. The press has played such a part in this and are responsible so to speak for whites of today thinking they owe the black community so much. For every black that has been persecuted 3 whites have had as much if not more done to them.Your powerful black leaders are no different than your powerful white leaders.Until the day comes when the average black,white and Hispanic comes to realize the truth this will never end.Folks plain and simple this is a class issue and has always been that,but we let the rich and powerful divide the masses and as long as the rich black,white or hispanic keeps giving a few bucks to certain ones to keep us under control this will keep on going in the same direction.Your education system is in shambles because the rich(regardless of race) want you to stay ignorant to the political system and what is going on in this country.Divide and conquer.The issue is class not race.

[ohioman]

Spoken like a true Communist.

[Our man in washington]

Bump for the Columbia conservatives!

Earlier this year, Sharpton spoke at my workplace. I work at a Federal agency, and Sharpton was invited by the union to give a lunchtime talk. I organized a small protest. A few people thanked me for what I was doing. I had a few people scream at me, a few people who crumpled up my leaflets, but I didn't have a single person who contradicted me on the facts.

[Austin Willard Wright]

What is your definition of "rich?" According to Al Gore, of course, a family earning 70 K a year is "rich?" You can go to Cuba and North Korea if you hate the "rich" so much and bask in economic equality.>

[Marysecretary]

The don't invite Alan Keyes because he's a Christian, has common sense, and is a decent and law abiding citizen, and he's NOT a demoncrap who is trying to keep the black race down under their fat thumb. JC Watts is anothe responsible young black they probably will never invite because of the same reasons. Colleges, like the one I work in, love these PC freaks. He came here to speak, was three hours late, and they loved him! I feel sorry for these disillusioned kids. I really do. It was a packed house.

[Stultis]

One group, inside, sitting in the center of the auditorium or sprinkled throughout, would rise, at the beginning of Sharpton's speech, turn, and march out.

Oooh, great idea, mrustow. Pointed and eloquent, with marked contrast to the standard leftist tactic of having beared, self absorbed and self righteous liberals attempt to shout down the speaker (or throw fruit).

[Bigg Red]

Bump!