Shots Across The Bow

Free speech is dead at Texas A&M

I found this story via Tongue Tied:

Texas A&M University has suspended the prestigious Ross Volunteer Honor Corps
association, a select honored division of the Texas A&M Corps, for allegedly
harassing anti-war protestors at a candlelight vigil on February 3. The vigil
held in the center of campus by 30 professors, community activists, and
members of the Aggie Democrats was organized to protest the war against
Saddam Hussein.

This vigil followed a protest that was held on the campus earlier that day by
many of the same activists, which featured signs such as "Bush is a baby
killer" and "Death for Oil." The "vigil" itself resembled the protest, as
signs present included "No Children for Oil."

So, what constituted this harrassment?

An eyewitness, Matt Maddox, Chairman of the Texas A&M Chapter of the Young
Conservatives of Texas, said the approximately 100 Corps members ran their
normal drills through the center of campus without coming in contact with any
of the protestors and did nothing to intimidate them. Maddox said that,
while the cadets did sing "Some say freedom is free, but we know Aggies who
paid the price," they did not point their guns at the protestors or threaten
them in any way. Maddox notes the cadets did nothing different from what they
do every week on their designated days to train at the Ross statue and in the
free speech area.

That doesn't sound so bad. But wait, there's more:

According to the Texas A&M Battalion
(http://www.thebatt.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/02/06/3e420c0fd8a6a), the
official school newspaper, Hugh Stearns, an anti-war protestor who attended
the vigil griped, "Some of the cadets glared (at us)."

Oh the horror!

Folks, I have an idea. There's supposed to be an anti war protest in Knoxville tomorrow at 11am at the intersection of Morrell Rd and Kingston Pike. If they don't cancel it on account of rain (I mean, principles are great and all, but it's really wet out here!) I say we counter protest by going out there and looking at them.

Don't glare, because you might get arrested for intimidation.

Sheesh

Posted by Rich at February 14, 2003 10:40 AM