[Peace] Fwd: URGENT: Quad Protest Tomorrow

[Alfred Kagan]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Colin Bishop <cbishop at uiuc.edu>
> Date: September 20, 2005 3:39:26 PM CDT
> To: walling at law.uiuc.edu, tmackaman at yahoo.com, 
> bowersox at prairienet.org, chyn at ojctech.com, 
> h-weatherford at mckinley-church.org, isahmad at uiuc.edu, galaria at uiuc.edu, 
> lalworth at uiuc.edu, cingold at express.cites.uiuc.edu, 
> m-patten at sbcglobal.net, jnelshoppen at insightbb.com, 
> mitten at life.uiuc.edu, jandurl at insightbb.com, dan at sourcegear.com, 
> srrodger at uiuc.edu, lhaber at uiuc.edu, akagan at uiuc.edu, 
> tayabji at shout.net, redherng at shout.net, geoff at parasol.com, 
> Danielle at universityymca.org, rachael at universityymca.org, 
> becca at universityymca.org, amyclay at uiuc.edu, vcarreon at uiuc.edu, 
> khartma at uiuc.edu, tabram at uiuc.edu, hesteven at uiuc.edu, 
> lifestratinst19 at sbcglobal.net, pillow at uiuc.edu, bfarnell at uiuc.edu, 
> hughphillips1 at sbcglobal.net, nwazota at uiuc.edu, rbarrera at uiuc.edu, 
> amira_nuha at hotmail.com, cu at veya.org, scheskie at uiuc.edu, 
> dagriffn at uiuc.edu, mustapha at uiuc.edu, akandil at uiuc.edu, 
> djweaver at uiuc.edu, rashan at uiuc.edu, yili at uiuc.edu, memcgee at uiuc.edu, 
> kierulf at uiuc.edu, anaya at uiuc.edu, cjenkins at uiuc.edu, ezeokoli at uiuc.edu
> Cc: rsmith at uiuc.edu, whittle at uiuc.edu, hernann at uiuc.edu, 
> slscott1 at uiuc.edu, kamani at uiuc.edu, helnoory at uiuc.edu, 
> ninabell at uiuc.edu, priego at uiuc.edu, slreinha at uiuc.edu, 
> ecarrill at uiuc.edu, tjbell at uiuc.edu, melendre at uiuc.edu, 
> jmonteit at uiuc.edu, rara at uiuc.edu, beaver at uiuc.edu, ehrhart at uiuc.edu, 
> gfinley at uiuc.edu, knellis at uiuc.edu, kakranich at yahoo.com, 
> blue2 at net66.com, rewyman at hotmail.com, danielle at illinoisnorml.org, 
> jtmiller at uiuc.edu, ginger at uiuc.edu, some at uiuc.edu, fabek at uiuc.edu, 
> kmedina at uiuc.edu, bpillai at uiuc.edu, kbhandar at uiuc.edu, 
> cajindos at uiuc.edu, title at uiuc.edu, csundlof at uiuc.edu, 
> twschwab at uiuc.edu, leving at uiuc.edu, brendalo at uiuc.edu, 
> akirchh2 at uiuc.edu, bvanass2 at uiuc.edu, lrziegle at uiuc.edu, 
> bergo at uiuc.edu, kough at uiuc.edu, cbishop at uiuc.edu
> Subject: URGENT: Quad Protest Tomorrow
>
> You have been identified as a member of a progressive organization on 
> campus
> or in the community that might be interested in participating in a 
> demonstration
> against the OBO and ICU’s bigotry. If you have access to your 
> organization’s
> listserv or email addresses of members of your organizations please 
> distribute
> the message below. It is important to publicize this event as widely 
> as possible
> and strongly encourage people to attend and oppose the Orange and Blue
> Observer and Illini Conservative Union’s extremist views.
>
> *****************************
> URGENT: Quad Protest Tomorrow
>
> Tomorrow, the Orange and Blue Observer and the Illini Conservative 
> Union will
> be holding “Conservative Coming Out Day” on the Quad. This event will 
> include
> a gun raffle and testimonials from conservative students about the 
> oppression
> they allegedly face because of their conservative views.
>
> The event will include a fund-raising raffle to provide free handguns 
> to women
> and homosexuals. Their own publicity states, “Affirmative Action 
> giveaway.
> Women and homosexuals specially invited to enter…‘One for every 
> purse.’”
> (Quoted from a publicity flyer received via email from the Illini 
> Conservative
> Union to the Orange and Blue Observer listserv. September 16, 2005.)
>
> *** ***
> WE ARE ASKING YOU TO HELP US PROTEST THIS BIGOTED AND EXTREMIST EVENT
> TOMORROW, NOON – 1PM ON THE QUAD.
> We will be wearing black shirts in mourning for all of the women, 
> minorities,
> and LGBT persons who are still the victims or bigotry and intolerance. 
> It is
> important go get as many people as possible to the protest to show 
> that we are
> united against their extremism.
> THIS MUST BE A PEACEFUL PROTEST.
> When these groups held a gun raffle last year, publicity was centered 
> on the
> yelling matches and attempts by protestors unplug their microphones and
> otherwise obstruct their right to free speech. The fact of the matter 
> is that they
> have a right to be there, and we will not challenge that. Instead, our 
> presence
> will show our calm and rational resistance to their intolerance.
> We will have literature to distribute to passersby informing them of 
> the true
> nature of Conservative Coming Out Day and those organizing it. You and 
> your
> organization are also invited to distribute any literature regarding 
> bigotry,
> intolerance, women’s issues, or LGBT issues that are appropriate and 
> relevant.
>
> IT IS IMPERATIVE TO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PRESENT TOMORROW.
> THE DAILY ILLINI AND LOCAL NEWS MEDIA WILL BE ON HAND TO COVER THE
> EVENT. WE MUST NOT LET THIS PUBLIC DISPLAY OF BIGOTRY AND EXTREMISM
> GO UNOPPOSED.
> WEDNESDAY * SEPT 21 * NOON – 1PM * QUAD
> *** ***
>
> More Information about Conservative Coming Out Day below:
>
> Throughout the Illini Conservative Union’s correspondence for the 
> planning of
> Wednesday’s Conservative Coming Out Day, they repeatedly disparaged 
> women
> and homosexuals:
> --- “Sales will support the FREE giveaway of two double-barreled .22 
> caliber
> derringers, perfect for a lady's purse. Only women and homosexuals 
> will be
> eligible to win (anything that carries a purse).” Email from Leo 
> Buchignani of the
> Illini Conservative Union to the Orange and Blue Observer listserv. 
> September 6,
> 2005.
>  --- “The derringer giveaway is now open to everyone. However we are 
> still
> issuing a special invitation to women and homosexuals, because 
> obviously a
> derringer belongs in a purse.” Email from Leo Buchignani of the Illini
> Conservative Union to the Orange and Blue Observer listserv. September 
> 16,
> 2005.
> The Illini Conservative Union has chosen to intentionally mock 
> National Coming
> Out Day, which is held every October and organized by PRIDE and LGBT 
> groups
> across the country. National Coming Out Day is designed to encourage 
> and
> support LGBT persons as they come to terms with their sexual 
> orientation.
> “I think the important thing to emphasize here is that we support 
> their right to
> free speech and thus their right to hold this event. However, we find 
> the way
> they’re doing it to be disrespectful. They’re making a mockery of the 
> coming
> out process, which can be extremely difficult for people, and they’re 
> using old-
> fashioned generalizations to label women and gay people. Nothing 
> productive
> or meaningful is accomplished,” Feminist Majority executive advisor 
> Melissa
> Murphy said.
> 	“We’re not trying to organize some super-PC crusade in response to 
> what
> they‘re doing, but there is a certain level of decency that is not 
> being upheld in
> their event. Grouping women and gay people together as purse-carrying 
> objects
> of femininity is neither honest nor funny -- at least not to someone 
> over the age
> of 12. Come to any meeting of PRIDE or Feminist Majority, and you’ll
> immediately see that generalizations like this one don’t hold an ounce 
> of
> credibility,” PRIDE publicity director Jon Monteith said.
> 	The Illini Conservative Union also plans to deride the University of 
> Illinois’
> affirmative action policy by “evaluating” each potentially winning 
> raffle ticket
> instead of choosing a winner randomly.
> --- “In a process analogous to university admissions policy, the 
> derringers will
> be awarded based on a holistic evaluation of the applicant, taking into
> consideration gender, sexual orientation, astrological luckiness of 
> ticket
> number, penmanship and random selection.” Quoted from a publicity flyer
> received via email from the Illini Conservative Union to the Orange 
> and Blue
> Observer listserv. September 16, 2005.
> “This isn’t even a conservative event -- it’s a project designed by 
> the same
> people who think women should have never left the kitchen. The Observer
> should stay focused on issues that actually deal with conservative 
> values -- I
> don’t see misogyny and homophobia anywhere on the College Republicans’
> mission statement. I’ve also heard that a lot of conservatives are 
> embarrassed
> by the fringe groups organizing this event. Perhaps that should show 
> you how
> out-of-touch and extreme these people are -- they’re like the crazy 
> aunt you
> try to ignore at all of the family get-togethers,” Monteith said.
>


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801

tel. 217-333-6519
fax 217-333-2214
akagan at uiuc.edu
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: text/enriched
Size: 8565 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.chambana.net/mailman/archive/peace/attachments/20050920/7a2d2ffd/attachment.bin