Failure to Respond

Disputes over an appropriate response to Jared Taylor’s speaking engagement have arisen between students and school administration.

Some students argue that the school is discouraging their First Amendment right to peaceful assembly while others argue that protesting doesn’t send the right message.

One group of students took a more creative approach and is trying to use the rules of the club against itself.

On March 7, when President John Marshall sent his campus-wide email regarding the event, Western Culture Club had just five members. Now, they have 25 members.

This is because of a plan hatched by a group of 20 students to assume a majority within the club and remove the sitting officers. Once replaced with new officers, they would dissolve the Western Culture Club. {snip}

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The “Mav Unity Party: Celebrating Our Diverse Community” was developed by Associated Student Government (ASG) and posited as an alternative to protest. It has the support of campus administration and is expected to be an all-day event.

“Rather than engaging in conflict, we are choosing to demonstrate what truly defines CMU—a thriving, inclusive community that stands together,” wrote political science student Alexander Austin about the proposed event in an email to President Marshall.

On March 10, a meeting was held which intended to plan the Unity Party with interested organizations. In an announcement from ASG President Leilani Domingo, it was stated that President Marshall would be in attendance.

However, once the planning meeting began, it was announced that President Marshall would not be attending. Then it became less about logistics and more about an airing of grievances.

Vice President of Student Services Jody Diers spoke at the beginning and emphasized her priority was physical safety at the event. Diers was booed and several people left the meeting while she was speaking.

{snip} The microphone was passed around to people in the audience and many used this as an opportunity to voice their concerns and opinions.

“We can’t reach across and make these people talk. Their minds are already made up when they start inviting people who say ‘others are lesser.’ You have to make fascists afraid again,” said an attendee.

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