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Student protest leaders hold signs and lead protesters in chants during the die-in on Thursday in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. Members of the OU community gathered in response to the Sept. 16 shooting of Terence Crutcher in Tulsa.
CALL FOR CHANGE Students organize die-in, bring light to Black Lives Matter cause EMMA KEITH • ANNA MAYER @SHAKEITHA _97 • @HONESTLY_ ANNA
T
he walls of the Oklahoma Memorial Union echoed for hours. Not with clinking silverware or with food orders being called out — they echoed with one loud, impassioned cry: black lives matter. “Silence is not an option — silence is violence,” said J.D. Baker, public relations junior, from atop a chair in the middle of the food court. A group of OU student activists held a community protest Sept. 22 against police violence and the death of Terence Crutcher. The “Die-In” was organized by the Revolutionary Baddies, a student organization led by women of color, to protest police violence and the Sept. 16 death of Terence Crutcher in Tulsa. The protest, which lasted about four hours, began at the Unity Garden on the South Oval at noon, led by student leaders Ariana Hall, Taylor Sanchez and Carey Flack. Protesters made posters and marched to the Union, chanting “no justice, no peace, no racist police.” At the Union, they lay on the floor of the food court, listening to speeches on racism and police brutality. “ The more uncomfortable people are, the more impact this is going to make,” Hall said. “We’ve been uncomfortable for a very long time.” Leaders stood on chairs, and
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they called for protesters to close Protest leaders spoke about and “blue lives matter.” their eyes and remain silent as a things from their own experiThe disruptions were met with tribute to those dead from police ences as students of color to the louder cries of “black lives matviolence. Then they were called shortcomings of OU in dealing ter” and impassioned speeches to chant. with diversity and allowed pro- from protesters. Event organizOU Vice President for the testers to stand and speak. ers had planned for such conUniversity Community Jabar “Racism is taught, and with flict, designating “de-escalators” Shumate and Secretary to the the necessary tools and guid- at the start of the event to protect Vice President D’Andre Fisher ance to help the larger body at protesters from potentially viowere present at the protest, with OU, we can really help people to lent situations. Shumate lying on the floor and become the ideal Sooner citizen Protest leaders also continuchanting with students. — being respectful of cultures, ally called out students who sat “I happened to know Terence learning about how to treat peo- in the union and remained uninCrutcher personally,” Shumate ple with respect,” said Marika volved with the protest. The diesaid. “Knowing in drove many students the family, I think from their lunches, leav“Knowing the family, I think they would be they would be ing only a few behind. very proud to see very proud to see his life be used in a way to After several hours of bring people together to talk about critical heated cries and calls his life be used in a way to bring things that need to be talked about and need for change, the protest people together to asked ever yto be discussed for us to heal as a community leaders talk about critical one in the area to join and as a city and as a nation.” things that need them on the floor for a to be talked about moment of silence in JABAR SHUMATE, and discussed for solidarity and respect VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY us to build as a to those who had been community, a city killed by police brutality and as a nation. I feel like that is Barker, a pre-med psychology and to those who had died fightwhat they want for their son — sophomore. “Just because rac- ing for the Black Lives Matter for his life to represent.” ism doesn’t happen to you does movement. One OU administrator was not not mean it doesn’t matter.” For almost an hour, eerie sipresent at the die-in, however. Organizers led protesters in lence followed. No one moved. Multiple protesters questioned chants, yelling, “black lives mat- Students buying lunch stepped the absence of OU President ter,” “freedom is not a game” and over and moved around the proDavid Boren, repeatedly crying, “no justice, no peace, no racist testers lying on the floor. “Where’s David Boren at?” police” for several minutes at a The only disruption was Boren released a statement time. the announcement that Betty about the protest and Crutcher’s The die-in was not without re- Shelby, the Tulsa police officer death via Twitter at 1:27 p.m., al- sistance, however. Groups of stu- responsible for shooting Terence most an hour and a half into the dents walked through the food Crutcher, faces charges of first protest. court yelling, “go back to Africa” degree manslaughter. The news
People were killed by the police in the U.S. in 2015.
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brought cheers from the crowd. Afterwards, the protest leaders thanked everyone who came to participate, swearing that together they would all make a difference. “This (protest) was far more powerful than what I have seen so far,” Micah Stover, human relations junior, said comparing the die-in to other protests she has participated in. “Every single one of the organizers poured their heart and soul and patience into this. Despite hecklers, despite aggressors — they were just so composed. It was just so strong all the way through.” Shumate said he is proud of the students and the dialogue brought about by Crutcher’s death. “In a community, you have to have respect, which means you have to have transparency and you have to have honesty,” Shumate said. “In order for us to get to where I know we can be as a university and as a community, we have to engage in healthy dialogue ... I’m really proud of our students. They have really put together a great opportunity for our university to grow and learn.” Emma Keith
emmakeith97@ou.edu
Anna Mayer
anna.n.mayer@gmail.com
of those people were black. Source: The Guardian
ENTRY FORM NAME: PHONE NUMBER: OU EMAIL: LOCATION: Entry form must be original newspaper form. No photocopies or reproductions will be accepted. Each day’s entry forms will be collected at 4:30 p.m. and winners will be drawn at 5:30
p.m. Grand prize drawing will be Friday, Sept. 30 at 5:30 p.m. Entry forms may be submitted at the following locations:
Dale, Copeland Hall, The Bookmark, The Sooner Card Office (Oklahoma Memorial Union), Couch Restaurants, and Cate Main.