(STORRS, CT) - The University of Connecticut will be hosting Bill Ayers to speak to the Uconn Campus on Thursday, April 23th, at 3:30-5:30 p.m. in the Torrey Life Science building, Room 154. This event is sponsored by The Human Rights Institute, Idealists United, ConnPIRG and funded by the Undergraduate Student Government. The event is funded by the Undergraduate Student Government’s allocation of student activities fees, something that troubles College Republican Finance Director Joseph Dilling, who says that “ConnPIRG is already funded on the fee bill…with much of that money being sent to Washington, how can USG ethically grant them additional funding?”
William Ayers was the founder of the now defunct 1960-70 domestic terrorist group – The Weather Underground. He was responsible for attacks in 1969 on a statue dedicated to riot police casualties in the 1886 Haymarket Riot. He also initiated attacks on the New York City Police Headquarters in 1970, the United States Capital in 1971, and the Pentagon in 1972.
UConn Alumni Robert Casapulla states, “I believe in free speech and the concept of the University as a marketplace of ideas, but feel William Ayers’ acts of domestic terrorism are not to be dismissed lightly and they certainly surpass any definition of peaceful protest or even of civil disobedience.” To allow William Ayers a venue to speak at the expense of the student fees, alumni donations, and Connecticut taxpayers is absolutely deplorable and should be reviewed immediately.
President Hogan and the University should withdraw any support for the events of this week and distance the University as far away from the events taking place on Thursday, April 23rd as possible. “It would be wrong for President Hogan not to consider the violent nature of Bill Ayers’ past, when allowing The Human Rights Institute, a University department, to endorse the event,” says Jennifer Miller, President of the UConn College Republicans. The President must send a clear signal that the University in no way condones the actions and unrepentant nature of Bill Ayers.
Although they have the right to do so, the groups organizing “Human Rights Awareness Week” have tarnished the image of the University, their entire week of activism, and beliefs by associating them with Mr. Ayers. By taking the correct actions, President Hogan will preserve the University of Connecticut as an institution that respects freedom of speech, while at the same time taking a stance against those deplorable actions that Mr. Ayers remains unapologetic for.
We will peacefully protest this event on Thursday, April 23th, beginning around 2:30 p.m. outside the Torrey Life Science building on the Storrs campus. Join together as Americans and voice your opinion in a respectful and appropriate manner, stating that in our country we conduct ourselves with civility and honor, and do not promote nor accept violence as a way of making a political statement.
