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Vol. XCIV No. 7
Does one day make a difference? PAGE 9
PAGE 7
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Thursday, October 23, 2014
A student voice of Saint Louis University since 1919
Clock Tower Contention Protest brings racial injustice to the forefront
By JESSICA WINTER Managing Editor
“Educate, organize and empower.” That was the goal of the “Occupy SLU” event held by civil rights organization Tribe X at Saint Louis University from Oct. 13-18. This “revolutionary act,” as the group called it, came about after the group’s eight members discussed ways to target institutional racism in light of the recent deaths of Michael Brown and Vonderrit Myers. It ended after negotiations were made between Tribe X, SLU administration and Metro St. Louis Coalition for Inclusion and Equity (M-SLICE). “Tribe X’s decision for the action to occur at SLU was due to the SLU mission – ‘pursuit of truth,’” said Tribe X member and SLU student Jonathan Pulphus.
Ryan Quinn / Photo Editor
Intense Intents in Tents: Above: Unexpected demonstrations Oct. 12 and 13 broke the silence of midterms week. Top left: Students and Tribe X members discuss racial experiences in their lives. Left: Protestor holds an inverted flag, claimed by protestors as a sign of extreme distress.
See “Occupy SLU” on Page 3
Administration, DPS attempt balance between mission, safety
Onlooking: A Department of Public Safety officer observes the second night of demonstrations at the clock tower on West Pine.
One part of SLU’s Mission Statement is for the Univer-
sity to “welcome students, faculty and staff from all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds and beliefs and create a sense of community that facilitates their develop-
Dispatch from the clock tower By ISAAC SINGLETON, JR. Contributor
West Pine Mall, the heart of Saint Louis University, usually reflects an upbeat atmosphere. It’s where students converse with friends, head to class, or use the path as a pedestrian highway to other destinations. On Oct. 13, however, the gloomy weather reflected a community torn. Around midnight, the clock tower on West Pine hosted a nonviolent call to action regarding racial injustices and police brutality. In this demonstration, organized by grassroots civil rights organization Tribe X, implications were revealed to be deeper than the Michael Brown or Vonderrit Myers cases, as the predominately African American
community surrounding SLU expressed feeling isolation and neglect. Hours before, the Organization for Black Struggle, in cooperation with other civil rights organizations, hosted an event promoting reflection and resistance. The keynote speaker was scholar and activist Dr. Cornel West. About halfway through, a group of young protesters, who had been out in Ferguson consistently for 65 days since the shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, voiced their frustrations. They argued that it would not do to sit around and talk about the occurrences: people needed to mobilize in the streets in See “Dispatch” on Page 3
ment as men and women for others.” Another section of the Mission Statement says that the University “fosters programs that link University resources to local, national
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Ferguson captivates SLU classrooms By TIM WILHELM News Editor
In times of social conflict, classrooms have historically served as sources of discussion, appraisal of events and profound change. The academic departments and classrooms of Saint Louis University are no exception, in light of the events in Ferguson, Mo., in August and the protests on campus this past week. “I would not say there has been a drastic increase regarding enrollment, but certainly there have been several students who have signed up to major and minor in African American Studies,”
said Dr. Stefan Bradley, Dinow administrators, faculty rector of African American members, and students are Studies. “There have also definitely paying more atbeen more students coming tention to what the African in to discuss American the events. Studies facIt’s coincidental Fur ther, ulty and those who staff has that my syllabus were already been coveraligned with things affiliated ing since the actually with the prop r o g r a m’s gram have inception happening in our displayed forty years communities a sense of ago.” -Dr. Jonathan Smith, pride in havIn AAS ing already 320, “AfriA.A. Studies professor studied and can Ameridelved into can Culthe issues that surround the ture,” students read Erasure Ferguson Crisis that has now by Percival Everett, a novella affected the campus directly. in which a young man is shot Something to note is that by police. Their first day dis-
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By VIVEK GORIJALA Associate News Editor
gathered and slowly marched ultimately decided to allow towards SLU, eventually the protestors to assemble gathering near the clock towpeacefully, while attempting er on campus. to understand the purposes According to Dr. Fred Pesof the protesters. However, tello, Saint Louis University the number one priority of President, the protests were the administration and DPS completely unexpected. “We were to keep those involved did not expect the protestsafe, while also continuing ers folto foster the lowing the Jesuit mission Chaifetz of SLU. We did not expect A r e n a As the event. Acweek unthe protesters foltually, the folded, with lowing the Chaifetz event at protesters Arena event. Chaifetz continuing to Arena was camp at the -Dr. Fred Pestello, planned clock tower, SLU President long bejoined by profore the testing stushooting dents, DPS of Vondermaintained rit Myers, Jr., in the Shaw a constant presence at the neighborhood.” clock tower in order to enBy Monday morning, only sure that the protests reapproximately 20-25 protesters remained camped at the clock tower. Throughout the See “DPS” on Page 3 night, administration and DPS were in contact, and
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Ryan Quinn / Photo Editor
and international communities in collaborative efforts to alleviate ignorance, poverty, injustice and hunger; extend compassionate care to the ill and needy; and maintain and improve the quality of life for all persons.” When combined, the need for the University to welcome those from all different backgrounds and allow the University to become a conduit to discuss pertinent national issues, along with the desire to keep people safe, provided the backbone to the administration and Department of Public Safety’s response to the protestors on campus. The protests began late on Sunday, Oct. 12 after the conclusion of an interfaith coalition addressing the recent events in Ferguson, Mo. held at Chaifetz Arena. After the event, a large number of demonstrators gathered in the Shaw neighborhood, where VonDerrick Myers, Jr., was killed by a police officer,
cussing it was the day of the Shaw neighborhood shooting. “It’s coincidental that my syllabus aligned with things actually happening in our communities,” said Dr. Jonathan Smith, who teaches the course. Apart from this coincidence, Smith asserts that Ferguson “comes indirectly into class discussions.” Dr. Bradley anticipates future manifestations of Ferguson in the African American Studies curriculum, but at the same time stresses a longstanding familiarity with the contexts of Ferguson. “The faculty is already See “Stein” on Page 3