annm4peace (5,846 posts)
Univ of MN President says those who oppose Condi Rice's visit are racists
http://www1.umn.edu/president/speeches-and-writing/statement-on-condoleeza-rice/index.html
President Kaler’s statement to the University Senate on Condoleeza Rice
April 3, 2014
I do want to declare my strong opposition to the resolution that will be offered later in this Senate meeting seeking to stop former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice from speaking at the Humphrey School’s Distinguished Carlson Lecture Series. Given my position, when this resolution comes up for discussion and a vote, I will yield the gavel to the Vice Chair of the Senate so as not to influence the debate.
Our University must be a place that not only promotes, but aggressively celebrates free speech. The University of Minnesota must be this state’s headquarters for civil discourse and the boundless exchange of differing ideas.
I find the resolution particularly ironic given that Dr. Rice will be speaking about her personal story of overcoming adversity as an African American woman who faced discrimination growing up in the segregated and racist South. Her appearance on campus is part of the Humphrey School’s yearlong series about the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
That Civil Rights Act, and the struggle against racism in this country, has often been driven by powerful words that would not have been heard but for our American tradition of a robust and fiercely protected right of free speech and academic freedom.
I have opinions that sometimes differ from yours or others on our campus. That’s healthy, I invite that, and that’s the nature of civil discourse.
But we can’t have true academic freedom at the University of Minnesota by denying a stage to those we disagree with or disapprove of.
I strongly urge you to vote against the resolution.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024810348annm4peace (5,846 posts)
2. Many students and some of the faculty were outrage Dr Rice is speaking at the U of M
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024773088
I have been posting about this for about two weeks. We have one more week to go before the war criminal Dr Rice comes to U of MN.
We have yet to hear of a DFL (Democrat) politician speak out about her visit.
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2014/03/31/community-voices-condoleeza-rice-and-humphrey-school-its-not-about-free-speech
Dear Humphrey School Faculty, Fellows Staff and PASA members,
April 17 will be a sad day for the University of Minnesota and in particular for the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. That is when Dr. Condoleezza Rice, at the Humphrey School's invitation, will deliver a Distinguished Carlson Lecture as part of the month-long series of events commemorating the reopening of Northrop Auditorium.
The university is a place where ideas get tested, where multiple viewpoints are welcomed. In such a setting, opposition to a speaker seems to violate the very essence of the institution.
But I oppose this invitation and in fact believe the University of Minnesota would be doing a valuable service to humanity by withdrawing it, no matter how awkward that might be at this late date. ....click on link to read more
*followed by a poster for a protest against Mrs. Rice attending the U of MN organized by who else but the SDS
http://www.democraticunderground.com/100248103481. She isn't a war criminal. Unlike Obama, Bush went to congress to get approval, and GOT IT! No approval for Libya.
2. You're all a bunch of racist, culturaphobic, bigoted, hate mongering tool bags, but yet....Awww, you're so put upon...
Spare me.
Star Member rurallib (34,252 posts)
3. Not from Minnesota, but I do have a question
What in the hell did Condoleeza Rice ever do to advance civil rights? Why would anyone want to hear her story?
I am probably ignorant of her whole history, but it sure seems to me that once she got a chance to go for the gold, she dumped her past.
What the hell do YOU know about civil rights, or what did you do to advance them? I know you and all the DUpes were sure as hell eager to here what's her names story about wanting Obumbles to give her free birth control, weren't you? You guys were oh so sympathetic, too.
The translation here is basically: She's black, but she's not on my side so F*CK HER! She's a house _____, and a Chimpy McBush associate. WAR CRIMINAL!111!1!!1 ELEVENTY!!1!!11!
annm4peace (5,846 posts)
7. U of M SDS plans protest against war criminal Condoleezza Rice
U of M SDS plans protest against war criminal Condoleezza Rice
Commentary by Chris Getowicz | April 3, 2014
Read more articles in Antiwar Movement
Protest flyer
Minneapolis, MN – The University of Minnesota Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) are organizing an April 17 protest to coincide with a speech by Condoleezza Rice – a close aide of George Bush and a war criminal to boot.
Former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice will be speaking as the 2014 Distinguished Carlson Lecturer at the University of Minnesota. The Carlson Foundation, a private donor to the University of Minnesota, is fronting the $150,000 honorarium to host Rice. The university planned her speech, on the subject of civil rights, to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The University of Minnesota describes her speech as recognition towards “her effort to foster freedom and democracy.â€
This invitation and “distinguished†lecture has disgusted students, staff, faculty and community members. The Twin Cites anti-war movement, heeding a call from SDS, will join a large rally to highlight Dr. Rice’s criminal conduct and to underscore the massive violations of human rights she was responsible for during the Bush administration.
The choice of Dr. Rice to speak on civil rights or “freedom and democracy†is outrageous. In fact, her crimes stand in direct opposition to the great contributions made by leaders of the civil rights movement like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King had no problem connecting poverty, racism and injustice at home with the imperialist war in Vietnam. Dr. King noted that “every time we kill one we spend about $500,000 while we spend only $53 a year for every person characterized as poverty-stricken in the so-called poverty program.†For Dr. King and other civil rights leaders, the war was a disgrace that “played havoc with our domestic destinies†and put the U.S. “in a position of appearing to the world as an arrogant nation.â€
Recall that under Rice’s leadership as Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, the U.S. openly committed well-documented and widespread crimes against humanity. These crimes included but are not limited to an illegal invasion of Iraq on pretenses of ‘weapons of mass destruction’ - which were never found. The years of occupation that followed the invasion of Iraq left, by conservative estimates, over half of a million people dead. This invasion and occupation was accompanied by widespread use of terror, in the systematic torture of prisoners as documented at Abu Ghraib and the long-standing torture prison known as Guantanamo Bay.
While this torture was documented, much more remains less documented. White House reports have long cited legal memos dispersed by Rice not only tolerating torture but suggesting that the Geneva Convention does not apply to the U.S. while engaged in its terroristic war, ‘The War on Terror.’
It is with these facts and with many others that Students for a Democratic Society and other student and anti-war groups will rally against Rice’s visit to the University of Minnesota. While administrators of the university have said that their invitation of Dr. Rice was on the grounds of “freedom of speech,†her “free speech†should be seen as nothing more than promoting the annihilation of sovereign countries via barbaric means of torture and criminal activity.
Like students and staff at Stanford, and most recently at Rutgers, Dr. Rice will be greeted upon her arrival with a reminder that her mark of distinction is that of a war criminal. In the name of the millions of Iraqis who saw their country ripped apart by the U.S. invasion – overseen in part by Condoleezza Rice, we urge you to join us at this protest. And in the names of thousands of young Americans sent to war only to return home without jobs, without proper healthcare – and the many who never returned at all - join SDS on April 17 at 4:00 p.m. at the University of Minnesota to condemn war criminals speaking on our campus.
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Response to annm4peace (Original post)
Fri Apr 11, 2014, 10:22 PM
NaturalHigh (6,300 posts)
8. The title of your OP is misleading at best.
He never once accuses anyone of racism.
annm4peace (5,846 posts)
10. really.. you don't see it ?
I find the resolution particularly ironic given that Dr. Rice will be speaking about her personal story of overcoming adversity as an African American woman who faced discrimination growing up in the segregated and racist South. Her appearance on campus is part of the Humphrey School’s yearlong series about the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Of course Anne sees it. 99% of DUmors (yes, I'm bring it back) see racism. They live, and breath it, and I italicized the part Anne is talking about. Because it says "African American" that little alarm goes off in a DUmor's brain, and they start froathing at the mouth, salivating, or excreating another substance from a completely different organ. Ironically, Condi probably had to deal with the racism from the EXACT same party these idiots claim membership to now.
The Velveteen Ocelot (36,917 posts)
21. Yes. And wouldn't we be pitching an industrial-strength fit, justifiably,
if some right-wing student group tried to prevent somebody like Bernie Sanders or Michael Moore from speaking at a University event? It works both ways.
Indeed. Didn't Ak-Madinijad(sp?) speak at Duke or something a while back? In fact, wasn't he INVITED, for crying out loud?!? He's a DEFINITE war criminal, and a terrorist leader/sympathizer/advocate. While I'm on point, wasn't Yasser Arofat allowed to speak at one of our campuses, or am I wrong on that one?
annm4peace (5,849 posts)
23. Last I saw Moore nor Sanders weren't war criminals
nice how some people on D.U. like to think it is "just a point of view" "we just disagree with her" .
I expect that from posters on the newspaper sites.. but sad to see it on D.U.
I"m someone who has protested the war on Iraq before it started.. have made signs with the name of killed troops from Iraq, went to listen to Veterans and AWOL troops from Iraq War/Occupation. who couldn't believe more weren't protesting when Dr Rice said her famous lies about mushroom clouds even though career diplomats and intelligence officers were resigning in protests and Generals were taking early retirements because they knew Rice, Powell, Cheney were lying.
I have written and read out loud at vigils the names of troops killed in Iraq as well as Iraq citizens, the name and age of children as was as adults killed by the U.S. I have cried many times as I listened. I cried as I listened to several mothers and fathers told of their children who joined the military died in Iraq due to lies told by Rice. I heard mothers and fathers and siblings tell of how they tried to get help for their returned loved one who had PTSD and killed themselves.
LIstened to an Iraq woman who visited the US tell of how she woke up with a US missile laying on her legs.. her foot was crushed and had to be amputated.. she was shunned by others because of her disability and through Muslim Peace makers were able to get her to Mayo Clinic for surgery, rehab and prothesis so she could go back to college. Along with her was a 9 year old boy who was electrocuted due to fallen electric wires from bombings. He lost a leg, 1/2 is body burned, and has partial use of his arm. He stayed in the US for about a year.. for several surgeries and prothesis.
I have since 2003 heard story after story of torture, rendition, and seen horrific pictures and videos. google "Cageprisoners"
I have gone to listen to 2 different troops who were lawyers for detainees' at Guantanamo and listened to their anguish of what they did for their country and what was done in our name. i have written detainee's names for signs, for petitions, for flyers.. their age, the youngest 13.. the oldest 92. have stood in an orange jumpsuit and black hood countless of times.
It isn't about "a point of view"... it is about giving a podium for a war criminal to white wash her history.
from the SDS student:
This is not about the outrageous cost, the party politics, nor the freedom-of-speech issues so often invoked in popular discussions of this matter. This is simply an issue of human rights.
It remains unclear, in the court of law, whether Rice is personally culpable for Bush-era war crimes, specifically the design and approval of torture and rendition programs, as well as lying to the public about the presence of WMDs in Iraq. What is clear, however, is that many people, especially abroad, see Rice and others, such as Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, as warmongers and unconvicted war criminals. Nick Theis
Nice to know you stand sympathetic with the enemy, you bitch!
