grassrootspeace.org

November 5, 2007: This website is an archive of the former website, traprockpeace.org, which was created 10 years ago by Charles Jenks. It became one of the most populace sites in the US, and an important resource on the antiwar movement, student activism, 'depleted' uranium and other topics. Jenks authored virtually all of its web pages and multimedia content (photographs, audio, video, and pdf files. As the author and registered owner of that site, his purpose here is to preserve an important slice of the history of the grassroots peace movement in the US over the past decade. He is maintaining this historical archive as a service to the greater peace movement, and to the many friends of Traprock Peace Center. Blogs have been consolidated and the calendar has been archived for security reasons; all other links remain the same, and virtually all blog content remains intact.

THIS SITE NO LONGER REFLECTS THE CURRENT AND ONGOING WORK OF TRAPROCK PEACE CENTER, which has reorganized its board and moved to Greenfield, Mass. To contact Traprock Peace Center, call 413-773-7427 or visit its site. Charles Jenks is posting new material to PeaceJournal.org, a multimedia blog and resource center.

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Army of None

Iraq: the Logic of Withdrawal


+++Please Forward Widely!!+++

 

PICKET the City College of New York administration in defense of free speech!

Thursday, March 17, 12:30 p.m.

Meet in front of the administration building, 138th and Convent Avenue

 

SIGN a letter of support (see below)

 

DEFEND FREE SPEECH AT CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK (CCNY)

 

The three CCNY students arrested and brutalized Wednesday, March 9, for peacefully protesting the presence of military recruiters at City CollegeÕs Òcareer fairÓ were arraigned and released Thursday. They were charged with misdemeanor counts of assaulting an officer, resisting arrest, and disturbing the peace, among other things. Hospital records from Mt. Sinai confirm that Nick Bergreen and Justino Rodriguez suffered multiple contusions and postconcussion syndrome. Their court date is set for April 5.

 

CITY COLLEGE HITS BACK WITH SUSPENSION AND ANOTHER ARREST

 

Friday, March 11, Hadas Thier, an undergraduate student at CCNY, was informed that she had been suspended from the University for Òposing a continuing danger,Ó and was banned from even setting foot on campus, pending a hearing to take place sometime in the next seven days. Meanwhile, Carol Lang, a CCNY staff member, was arrested in connection with WednesdayÕs protest and also charged with assault.

 

Gregory H. Williams, the president of the College, sent an email to the entire faculty and student body repeating allegations against the students as if they were facts. ÒThe confrontation escalated and several of the demonstrators grabbed and hit the officer. At this point, the three students involved in the attack on the officer were arrested,Ó he wrote.

 

It is a disgrace that the administration has so clearly sided with campus security without any evidence or due process, rather than looking out for the rights and safety of its students, faculty, and staff. Together, the actions of the security guards, the City of New York, and the CCNY administration have served to stifle dissent and create a climate of intimidation.

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO

 

1. Let them know what you think:

(and copy cityfreespeech@earthlink.net on your emails)

 

Gregory Williams, President                           Maureen Powers, VP for Student Affairs

212-650-7285/7286, 212-650-7680 (fax)      212-650-5426, 212-650-7080 (fax)

c/o Chief of Staff Michael Rogovin                 c/o Assistant to the VP George Rhinehart

mrogovin@ccny.cuny.edu                              grhinehart@ccny.cuny.edu

 

George Crinnion, Director of Public Safety    Danny Vasquez, Security Specialist

212-650-7992, 212-650-7991 (fax)               212-650-7988, 212-650-7991 (fax)

gcrinnion@ccny.cuny.edu                              dvasquez@ccny.cuny.edu

 

 

2. Sign on to the letter supporting free speech on campus

 

Please find the letter attached. To sign onto the letter, send an email to: cityfreespeech@earthlink.net

 

3. Picket the administration (and deliver your letter in person)

 

      Meet in front of the administration building, 138th and Convent Avenue

      THURSDAY, March 17, at 12:30 p.m.

 

      Bring signs and placards in support of free speech on campus!

 

******************************************************************************

 

Dear President Williams,

 

We, the undersigned, are outraged that freedom of speech for faculty, staff, and students of the City College of New York (CCNY) was so blatantly attacked last week.

 

We were dismayed to learn that three students were attacked and arrested by campus security guards for exercising their constitutionally protected right to assemble and to protest.

 

We were further outraged to learn that you swiftly moved -- without evidence, due process, or a discussion with the arrested students -- to suspend one of the students and to arrest another protester after the fact. This guilty-until-proven-innocent approach sends a chilling message: security forces have free reign on campus.

 

We demand that you defend the CCNY students, drop all disciplinary proceedings against the students involved in the protest, and launch an investigation into the actions of campus security.

 

Signed,

 

Hadas Thier, CCNY Class of 2005

Justino Rodriguez, CCNY Class of 2007

Nicholas Bergreen, CCNY Class of 2007

 

Campus Antiwar Network

http://www.campusantiwar.net

 

   Week of Campus Resistance

http://www.campusresistance.org