{"id":16405,"date":"2017-02-02T20:14:21","date_gmt":"2017-02-02T20:14:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testv45.demowebsitelinks.com\/ColleenKeane\/?p=16405"},"modified":"2023-09-20T21:20:48","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T21:20:48","slug":"unm-kiva-club-leads-protest-against-hate-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testv45.demowebsitelinks.com\/ColleenKeane\/2017\/02\/02\/unm-kiva-club-leads-protest-against-hate-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"UNM Kiva Club leads protest against \u201chate speech\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

BY COLLEEN KEANE<\/strong>
\nSPECIAL TO THE NAVAJO TIMES<\/p>\n

ALBUQUERQUE<\/strong> \u2014 Around a dozen police officers dressed in riot gear, holding batons to their chests blocked the north entrance of the UNM Student Union on Friday night.<\/p>\n

Other armed police cut off access to doors on the south and east sides of the building that\u2019s designed as a student meeting place.<\/p>\n

They were there to halt hundreds of protesters who aimed to stop a speech by 33-year-old journalist and public speaker Milo Yiannopoulos, who\u2019s known for making derogatory statements about women, people of color, and immigrants during his campus talks that have sparked violence.<\/p>\n

Milo, born in Greece and raised in England, has been on a U.S. tour since the beginning of the year.<\/p>\n

Before hitting the UNM campus, he appeared on stages at Colorado, California, and Washington state universities.<\/p>\n

During his talk at the University of Colorado, three people were reportedly arrested.<\/p>\n

At the University of Washington, a man was shot, according to an academic publication called Inside Higher Ed.<\/p>\n

In Milo\u2019s UNM talk, posted on YouTube, among many topics of his hour and half speech, he presented his viewpoints on immigration, racial conflict, building the border wall between Mexico and the U.S., the American workforce, while embracing the actions of President Donald Trump, referring to him as \u201cdaddy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do try to keep the main thrust of my speeches and journalism closely anchored to the facts,\u201d he told an audience of about 200 attendees.<\/p>\n

Throughout his speech, delivered while wearing a faux black police vest, he ridiculed women, liberals, Muslim-Americans and Canadians, to name a few.<\/p>\n

When one audience member countered what he was saying, he stated, \u201cIf you could save your bone-headed, obnoxious remarks for the end, I\u2019d be grateful. Don\u2019t interrupt me, or you will be asked to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

At least two women were escorted out, one wearing a hijab, a headdress worn by Muslim women.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to adjust for idiots in the room,\u201d remarked Milo. He noted that he\u2019s been called plenty of names by liberals and that they deserve what he\u2019s dishing out.<\/p>\n

Milo writes for Breitbart News, a conservative online news service.<\/p>\n

Demetrius Johnson, Kiva Club president, the Native American Club on campus, said the Kiva Club became involved in the protest because the Kiva Club stands against hate speech.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe talks about our Din\u00e9 relatives in a negative manner,\u201d he said. Johnson said his plans to protest Milo\u2019s visit began last fall. \u201c<\/p>\n

We were told by other college student organizations, \u2018You (the Kiva Club) have to do something. You are the most active group. You have to lead the protest.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the past couple of years, the Kiva Club, in alliance with Red Nation, a Native American social justice organization, advocated for the abolishment of Columbus Day in the city, which resulted in the establishment of Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day; ending violence against Native Americans on city streets; and stopping the construction of the North Dakota access pipeline.<\/p>\n

Students belonging to the Black Student Association and Muslim Student Association along with students from campuses across New Mexico joined in on the protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been amazing to see the coalition come together and show solidarity throughout the state. We will not allow hate speech to come onto our campuses,\u201d said Johnson.<\/p>\n

As the number of protesters grew, police, and media helicopters whirred overhead.<\/p>\n

At one point, someone in the crowd yelled, \u201cMove back! They just sprayed tear gas!\u201d The College Republicans, a UNM student organization, hosted Milo.<\/p>\n

The group refer to him online as a conservative speaker who addresses controversial topics.<\/p>\n

In an interview, journalist DD Gutten plan addresses Milo\u2019s appeal to the \u201calt right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Explaining what that means, Milo states, \u201cThe alt right for me is primarily a cultural reaction to the nannying and language policing and authoritarianism of the progressive left,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

For student protesters at UNM, that reaction provokes hatred and crosses the line when it comes to free speech.<\/p>\n

\u201cI say he has freedom of speech but he\u2019s not entitled to bring hate speech to a UNM venue. UNM had grounds to reject him and disinvite him,\u201d said Jessica Bennett, a political science major.<\/p>\n

\u201cMilo is very homophobic. He\u2019s transphobic. He\u2019s racist. He\u2019s sexist,\u201d said Jordan Anderson, another political science student.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t feel like hate speech is the sort of speech that should be spread around campus. What he expresses violates the policy at our school,\u201d said Evelyn Ticker hoof, an Art Studio major, as she held a sign that read, \u201cI will never stop fighting for compassion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShame on UNM. The university should have more compassion for their students of color,\u201d said Rebecca Jones, a Din\u00e9 student who plans on attending UNM this summer.<\/p>\n

According to student enrollment statistics, Hispanic, Native American, African American, Asian, and international students represent around 59 percent of the undergraduate population during the fall of 2016.<\/p>\n

Milo\u2019s Friday night audience appeared to be mixed with students supporting a Republican agenda since the talk was hosted by a republican student group, those fulfilling classroom assignments, those curious about his message and those standing against it.<\/p>\n

Many clapped when he stated, \u201c2017 is the year social justice (expletive) dies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Apparently supporting the concept of free speech, acting UNM President Chaouki Abdallah allowed Milo\u2019s talk to go ahead despite protests from student groups.<\/p>\n

Abdallah also suspended a security fee of about $3,200. The fee waiver is now under review by a university council to determine if it\u2019s constitutional or not, according to a UNM spokesperson.<\/p>\n

As state and county police stood guard over Student Union entrances and forced protesters to move back, Anderson stressed, \u201cThis campus is our home. If we can\u2019t protest here about someone who makes us feel unsafe and unwanted, where do we get to protest?\u201d<\/p>\n

One young student, most likely a high school student, appeared in a group known as Anonymous. Members of Anonymous are most known for protesting while wearing Guy Fawkes masks. They\u2019re also known to act as buffers between police and protestors.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are here in a big group to protect the people,\u201d said an Anonymous who stood about five feet tall and spoke softly.<\/p>\n

The anonymous added that masks are worn \u201cBecause it doesn\u2019t matter what we look like. It doesn\u2019t matter who we are, if we are a boy or girl, if we are black or white or Mexican. It doesn\u2019t matter. We are humans. We should have a voice. Our voice is about love, peace and equality.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Milo\u2019s talk ran on inside the Student Union, protesters attempted to access the south entrance of the Student Union. Police quickly jumped over barriers and blocked their way. Protestors reacted with loud, angry chants, \u201cDown with imperialists,\u201d \u201cShame on UNM,\u201d and \u201cShut him down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Protestors raised signs that read, \u201cSmash racism and sexism,\u201d \u201cNo hate in our state,\u201d \u201cUNM appeases fascists,\u201d with several posters presenting expletive four letter words.<\/p>\n

While tensions ran high, protestors did not resort to violence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI actually think this police force is ridiculous, because we have been pretty nice and peaceful the entire time we have been here,\u201d said Anderson.<\/p>\n

Johnson said that protesters, mostly students, did not have the same experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had to move back. They deployed mace or tear gas. I got a whiff of it and began to cough,\u201d said Johnson.<\/p>\n

He added that he witnessed a woman being grabbed by the arm by an officer and a reporter who tried to intervene was arrested.<\/p>\n

Reflecting on how one man inside the Student Union received so much police protection, Johnson noted that free speech should have been equally protected on both sides of the doors.<\/p>\n

\u201cKiva Club students were threatened with expulsion, if they didn\u2019t follow university policies. What about our rights?\u201d Asked Johnson.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES | COLLEEN KEANE<\/p>\n

A New Mexico state police officer blocking the south entrance of the UNM Student Union last Friday night where Milo Yiannopoulos was speaking stares stone-faced while a protester shouts loudly at him. Protesters say Milo\u2019s talks promote hatred and racism.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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