Bush Rally Broken-up at Connecticut College

The Connecticut Union of College Republicans ^ | February 21, 2004

[yonif]

New London, CT (February 21, 2004) - A rally by College Republicans from Connecticut College in New London, CT was broken up Friday night by Campus Safety officers, who told them they had no permit. The students were rallying peacefully in front of the Olin Science Center, near the main entrance to the school. The students were showing their support for President Bush, and encouraging others to be excited about and supportive of the President.

"No one has ever needed a permit before," said Bob French, a junior from New Hampshire and the Executive Director of the state-level College Republicans.

According to the two Campus Safety officers who broke up the event, they had instructions from their superiors at the Office of Student Life to make sure it was disbanded. The Office of Student Life was ostensibly concerned that College Republicans were protesting an event held by a rival group inside Olin that evening.

However, another Campus Safety officer drove by earlier and gave the students a 'thumbs-up' when he saw the signs for President Bush, according to E. Bion Piepmeier, chairman of the Connecticut College Republicans.

After being disbursed, the College Republicans walked to the Student Life to ask why they were not allowed to rally, and to determine what could be done about it. The Student Life office was apparently empty.

Nearly twenty students of all class years came out for the event, which lasted from 6:55 PM until approximately 7:25 PM in frigid temperatures. The students were waving official 'Bush Cheney 04' signs and also homemade signs. No arrests were made.

[NonValueAdded]

Sounds to me like your civil rights and 1st Amendment rights were violated. Time to get a poli-sci major to file a complaint with the state authorities as their class project.

[nutmeg]

find later bump

[yonif]

Ping.

[Hobsonphile]

Leftism on Campus ping!

If you would like to be added to the Leftism on Campus ping list, please
notify me via FReep-mail.

Warning: During the school year in particular, this can be a high volume ping list.

Regards...

[Miles Vorkosigan]

No, it's time to tell campus security, "Wanna make me leave?"

Most security guards aren't much anyway. Usually they're the guys with too much phony machismo to take a desk job, but not enough strength to take blue-collar-type jobs that require heavy lifting.

Not that that's always the case--I've seen some SG's who could hold their own. But if the people at the rally stood up to them, the law of averages would probably work in their favor.

[CatoRenasci]

I am SO glad my daughter decided not to to to Connecticut College.

[GnL]

At what point does a group of individuals carrying signs, all walking down the street on their own accord, become a group that requires a permit? Why not just walk around that area of campus? Who can stop you?

[rmlew]

Eww.

I commend you and the chapter for this activism. (In 1995-1996, the chapter refused to do anything)
I am saddened to see the arbritrary misuse of authority. I won't be sending them any money.

[Kozak]

Remember this and DEMAND any future Left Wing rallies are broken up immediately unless they have the proper permit.
Precedent's been set. Hold them to it.

[Redcoat LI]

Be careful at Yale,they have a massive inferiority complex,it makes them rather nasty and short-tempered.

[Fester Chugabrew]

"The Office of Student Life was ostensibly concerned."

Too bad he couldn't have been ostensibly motionless at the same time.

[RaceBannon]

Great tagline!

(Psa 122:6 KJV) Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP - EDUCATION - UNIVERSITY - FREEDOM OF SPEECH

[CaptIsaacDavis]

And these folks complied willingly? They obviously smelled a rat, so why not challenge the CSOs to get the Dean of Students on the phone...etc...SHEEP...

[Ronzo]

According to the two Campus Safety officers who broke up the event, they had instructions from their superiors at the Office of Student Life to make sure it was disbanded.

Did the "safety officers" have brown shirts with little black spider-like things on them? Just curious...

[ARepublicanForAllReasons]

Be careful at Yale,they have a massive inferiority complex,it makes them rather nasty and short-tempered.

Yes, and being exposed to sincere, articulate expressions of patriotism and support for the President inflicts trauma and renders them incapable of further processing the pessimistic deconstructionism they are inundated with.

[oyez]

I get the feeling that this summer is going to be as agitated as much as it was in 1970.

[Calvin Locke]

I recall a cost of education article about a year ago. CC's president, a woman, iirc, was grossing over $800K/year, and
the enrollment was not quite 2000. That's $400/year just for the privelege of having that president.

(The article was really about "trustees" that fail in their duties.)

[cake_crumb]

It's not freedom of speech when one group is freer than another to speak. If the positions had been reversed, the media outcry would last months.