Last night me and Malcolm spent almost 2 hours speaking with SU student protestors with #NotAgainSU I was so inspired by their passion and commitment. I was also angered, disgusted and embarrassed by the way Syracuse University is treating them, specifically DPS.
They read a letter they had just received from The Syracuse Department Of Public Safety (DPS) basically setting the stage for them using physical force on the NotAgainSU students and completely disregarding them from the Syracuse Student Community as if they were some ruffians or hoodlums. Remember in Higher Learning when the white frat boy told the police that these gang members came in here and attacked our frat brother for no reason and Busta Rhymes said who are you calling gang member ? We go to school here too. That’s how this letter characterized the NotAgainSU students. Like they are thugs that don’t even belong on campus. It’s amazing how they somehow transformed those fighting for the safety and well being of themselves and future generations of SU students of color to be able to exist free of threats of terrorism, into the people who they need to keep other students (and by other I mean white students) safe from. I wish DPS spent even a percentage of the energy they are using to threaten and terrorize the NotAgainSU students with actually capturing and arresting the people who committed the 24+ different racist incidents that happened last semester, that included a Swastika being painted on a wall, the n word painted numerous times, and a white supremacist manifesto air dropped to students, and not one arrest has been made ? But you want them to move on and forget about the whole thing as if nothing happened ?
I also saw the obvious stall tactics the University is implementing in an effort to tire them out and wear them down. They won’t even meet with them, but are instead asking for multiple pointless pre meeting to set the terms of the actual meeting. They are sending people who have no power, are I’ll prepared, and don’t even know the facts of the documents as the ones to meet with them. These are all textbook wear down the protestors tactics.
The way they were treated by the DPS is like something out of a 60’s fighting against segregation documentary. They actually didn’t allow anyone whether professors, faculty, or outside supporters to bring food or feminine products or supplies to them while they were protesting after the break. They served them suspension papers, and then told them they were free to go as if they didn’t know that as soon as they would’ve stepped foot out the building, they would’ve been arrested for trespassing. But Chancellor Kent Syverud wants some credit for lifting suspensions that should never have happened in the first place but doesn’t want to take responsibility or even apologize for how they were treated by the DPS ? But they want the students to forget about the whole thing and go back to business as usual ? The Chancellor should come down there, apologize personally, and then say how can I personally fix this. That’s what a person who is truly sorry does. It’s called an “action apology”
I also learned how there is a tremendous absence of allies for them particularly from their peers. Where is the football team who are the main revenue generating sport on campus. I would like to hear see more support from the basketball team as well. Where are all of the white and Jewish fraternities, sororities, hundreds of organizations on campus who are dedicated to saving the environment and peace on earth and tranquility and want them to be allies for them but refuse to stand with them now to put pressure on the University ? That’s not how allies work. It can’t be one sided. I told them to remember the people who are not supporting them now but who want their support for their causes, because that’s not how allyship is supposed to work. There is strength in numbers !!!
I encouraged them to keep fighting. Told them how history is going to look at them and admire their efforts to demand safety for all SU students even the ones who refuse to stand with them now in solidarity. And their dedication to holding those accountable who do not support the safety of all SU students. Their list of demands are not drastic, they are things that should have already been in place a long time ago, especially after you have 24+ racial incidents in one semester and no arrests made. I told them to keep fighting for the future generations and how it took the University decades to recognize the bravery and courage of The Syracuse 8, who they also vilified. History will tell a very different story when they look back on what NotAgainSU pushed for. Someone may even do a movie about them because what they are doing is that special, and the opposition has been that tremendous. I told them how the country now praises Muhammad Ali, they build statutes and museums and honor him for his courage, but in his hay day, he was public enemy number 1. They literally hated him, and I guarantee in the future when they talk about the NotAgainSU students, they will tell a very complimentary story as well.
