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5 de Octubre, 2006
Minuteman Doesn't Last A Minute
Categorized under Protesta | Tags: RNC
JIM GILCHRIST AND HIS TRAVELING SHOW OF HATE didn't count on the spirit and corazón of New York City students at Columbia University when he brought his presentation on the Minuteman Project to the Columbia College Republicans. A growing sentiment of disgust for the Minuteman platform and for Gilchrists's arrival was evidenced by protest gatherings on Broadway an hour before the Minutemen took the stage, and when it was time for the event, this sentiment met the speakers with increasing disruption until finally, it all erupted in a confrontation with Gilchrist.
As soon as Jim Gilchrist was announced, students rushed the stage, shouting and tearing at the sign he brought. Gilchrist and guests had to be escorted out of the building through the back door, while students chanted Si se pudo, si se pudo! (Yes, we could). The event was shut down, finally, and about 350 people had to be escorted out of the hall.
Laura Brunts of columbiaspectator.com quotes an anonymous protestor as saying "We were aware that there was going to be a sign and we were going to occupy the stage. I don't feel like we need to apologize or anything. It was fundamentally a part of free speech. ... The Minutemen are not a legitimate part of the debate on immigration."
Of course, there will always be those confused and mentally impaired Americans who call racists like Gilchrist "heroic," and those who protest him "ugly," "savages," and "thugs" who can be conflated with both Al Qaeda and Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. But why shouldn't these issues and people all be mixed together? Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Mexico, what the hell. They're all brown and under the Colonizers rifle scope. And it's always more fun when you just let your hate flow freely. Nuance? Careful and thoughtful analyzation of each problem based on its own particular characteristics? What? That sounds suspiciously French.
Some readers may know that yours truly was one of the RNC 1800, and was arrested and locked up in the Tombs and Pier 57 for about 50 hours (with barely and food, and no access to a lawyer) for marching in the streets of NYC to protest the Republican National Convention in August of 2004. (If not, you do now!) I can tell you that nothing feels as good as putting your hands and feet in alignment with your heart. No amount of intellectualizing, no amount of rationalization or blogging, or ranting. Even when you end up hungry, cold, and corralled behind fencing and bars. I have no regrets, even though it was a horrible and long experience, and would do it again.
New York students are fierce and passionate about their beliefs (as I'm sure many university students are around the country, I just have firsthand experience in New York). We know that Mexicans have a long history of standing up to oppression. And students, having young and usually open minds, have not yet had their will and heart crushed by the diseased system. These events at Columbia are good—no, they are wildly energizing. It is important for us all to see that not only in the West US, but also in the East, there are strong numbers and strong hearts standing up against institutionalized hate and hatemongering. Let's use this as fuel for our own often-battered and weary hearts.
Eventually Gilchrist and Chris Kulawik, CC '08, president of the College Republicans and a Spectator columnist, called Stewart off the stage. 'I clearly had the false assumption that I was at an Ivy League school,' Kulawik said as he introduced the main speaker. [Marvin Stewart, a (black) ordained minister and member of the Minutemen board of directors.]
'Who's a racist now?' said Gilchrist, putting an arm around Stewart.'I love the first amendment!' he shouted. 'You're doing a great job, kids. I'm going to have more fun with this than with my prepared speech.'
columbiaspectator.com
It's truly an interesting thought, an interesting view inside of Gilchrist's mind that "Ivy League" schools are predominantly racist. That is to say, that the majority of them would immediately line up behind his barely-disguised racist agenda. Perhaps this is true, though. I don't know. It's also quite obvious that Gilchrist thought he would be protected from charges of racism by using a black man to kick off his anti-Mexican show. I feel sad for Marvin Stewart, being used in this way by White Supremacists.
Needless to say, Gilchrist did not "have more fun with this," nor did he "have more fun" with his prepared speech. Instead, he fled through an obscured exit, protected by goons with guns. Fitting.
Watch it for yourself. It's okay if you get up and cheer.
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Comentarios (19)
Susan Fuentes dijo:
I like to know Which country Mexico or USA you consider your country??
Palabras por Susan Fuentes spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 05:27 PM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez dijo:
Hi susan. I don't own any countries. But I am descended from the Indians who walked this continent for thousands of years before now. So I may consider this "my" continent. But really, I'm not so much for owning any land. Just opposed to fake history and the war still being waged against the indigenous of this tierra.
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 05:55 PM
Leesee dijo:
Thanks for the video and yeah, it was wildly energizing. This feels like students are getting somewhere, they protest and protest however the media at times is more interested in protecting the status quo instead of reporting the reality of the discontent.
I will share this video with some of my students, they need to see this too.
10.05.06 - 11:05 am
Palabras por Leesee spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 05:58 PM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez dijo:
I would paraphrase Orwell and say that if there is any hope, it lies in the young. The proles, while they outnumber the elite, are tired, sad, and no longer believe in their own ability to affect change. The young were made for it. It is what they are here for while young. It is why their idealism and energy outweighs their practicality.
It makes me happy to know that you and others are in contact with them in a capacity to help support this.
10.05.06 - 11:26 am |
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 05:58 PM
Mex Files dijo:
Hail Columbia! I realized Columbia U. isn't typical of the U.S. as a whole, but it was heartening to see those kids in all shades (and even a few in yamulkes) giving Gilchrist the bum's rush.
10.05.06 - 4:27 pm |
Palabras por Mex Files spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 05:59 PM
Mex Files dijo:
Hey... you guys made O'Rielly!
The freerepublic.com has their knickers in a twist too --http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/ 1714565/posts -- you evil "Marxist-Leninists" you :)
Palabras por Mex Files spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 05:59 PM
James dijo:
This is just fuckin' awesome.
0.05.06 - 9:08 pm
Palabras por James spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 06:00 PM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez dijo:
haha! michelle malkin's buggin, o'reilly's buggin', freerupublic's buggin' out....man, you know you're on the right path when you got these pendejos red in the face!
10.05.06 - 9:13 pm
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 06:00 PM
herm dijo:
haha! oh man, i wish i could've been in this crowd.
10.05.06 - 10:26 pm
Palabras por herm spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 06:01 PM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez dijo:
Hell yeah! Gives me the chills, to tell you the truth.
So how these foo's goan guard a border? Sheeeeoot.
10.05.06 - 10:39 pm
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 06:02 PM
reenee dijo:
This pendejo is seriously deranged. It's obvious that sitting out in the sun, along our southern border armed with his walkie talkie, cooked his cerebro.
10.05.06 - 11:46 pm
Palabras por reenee spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 06:02 PM
luisa dijo:
Tlaloc's trojan horse begins! (:
10.06.06 - 1:20 am
Palabras por luisa spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 06:03 PM
Ome.Quiahuitl dijo:
This is beautiful. Made me so proud and expanded my awareness.. glad to see the brothers and sisters, nation-wide, are raising their voices and their fists..=)
10.06.06 - 3:41 pm
Palabras por Ome.Quiahuitl spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 06:05 PM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez dijo:
It is beautiful!
And Janinsanfran, that sounds like a great idea. Yoo is a creepy character. He's more than an apologist for Bush's agenda. He's a foreman on the job.
10.06.06 - 5:00 pm
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 06:05 PM
brownfemipower dijo:
ay, thank god for a little bit of hope for once--i've pretty much given up hope that anybody could possibly realize that the minute men are a racist hate group.
nezua, you are exactly what i needed tonight, gracias...
10.06.06 - 8:21 pm
Palabras por brownfemipower spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 06:06 PM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez dijo:
bfp, i'm happy as hell to hear it and you're always welcome.
10.07.06 - 8:02 am
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 06:06 PM
fab dijo:
Definitely revitalizing to see this! Thank you.
I wanted to submit this entry to the RWOC Carnival held over at Tigera Consciente's spot.
Please let me know if you wouldn't like to be linked; if I don't hear from you I'll presume you don't have a problem getting linked.
10.07.06 - 11:03 am
Palabras por fab spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 06:07 PM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez dijo:
Hi, fab. Thank you. I really appreciate this, and don't mind being linked at all. I don't know who Tigera Consciente is (great name, though!) tho I will go research it now. And since I don't have to get in touch with you unless I don't want to be linked, I guess I'll just say gracias and adios right here and let the rest unfold!
--update:
Okay, fab, I hadn't seen Tigera's blog (tho I've blogrolled her now, which I do sparingly) but I had heard of the RWOC sitch over at bfp's casa, I think. maybe somewhere else. Anyway, thank you again. It's always so surprising and rewarding when a post you write out of deep feeling gets noticed by any other person for any other reason.
10.07.06 - 11:13 am
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 06:08 PM
Sappho dijo:
I cant even express how proud I am of the students who protested this racist asshat!! I have been heavily involved as an anti-Minuteklan/SOS activist for some time now, & I have just been waiting for the rest of the states to jump in too!! When I viewed the video my mouth smiled & my heart swelled!
More & more people need to realize that these racist organizations are only hiding their racism behind American flags. They claim they are entirely about "illegal immigration". Bullshit. Then why is their only true concern Mexico & people of Mexican descent?
Have you read through the Save Our State website forum??? It is chalked full of extreme Mexican racism, as well as homophobia.
In fact, on YouTube, one Minuteklan or SOS member asked me why I wasnt out molesting little girls (im gay)!!
Can you believe the ignorance & immaturity?!
Also, their new 'plan' is to drive into neighborhoods with a prodominantly Mexican population, & throw out those 'Mentos bombs'. Real mature. They claim it is to make the Mexicans fell uneasy & unwelcomed.
They also have stooped so low as to throw trash, mostly trash from Mexican products such as Jaritos or any other Mexican-brand food package,etc at Day Labor sites, to try & make the day labors look dirty.
It's getting out of hand, & when I see great acts such as this protest of Gilchrist, it helps me tons.
Thanks again, comrade!
Palabras por Sappho spat forth on el 2 de Enero, 2007 at 06:08 PM