News
Anatomy of a Sit-In
What you know, what youdon't, and where it all began.
BY WILLIAM BEUTLERWith additional reporting by Jonathan Collegio
School is out for the summer, and most of the bright young idealistsinvolved in the May 18th sit-in at Johnson Hall have already left town tosit in trees or whine whine elsewhere. Many of them are likely to forgetabout the whole thing come fall term. It's already weeks behind us.Yet the repercussions, reverberations, and consequences in its aftermathare not-and the ball of administrative action has just begun to roll. Thesum of the controversy, if not the protest itself, is still deemednewsworthy bythe local networks. Formal discussions inspired by last month's proteststill capture the Emerald's front page day in and day out (as recently asJune 3rd). With such momentum behind the cause, it's no small exaggerationto say that what happens in the following weeks and months is likely toreshape a good deal of the University's policy toward harassment andminority issues.
Still, lost in the whirlwind of bureaucratic action is the protest'sinciting incident-where this recent spate of feel-good activism all began.
Ground zero was a 323/448-level class (Public ServicePolicy/Community Development, respectively) in the Planning, Public Policyand Management (PPPM or 3PM) department. The twin geneses, one followingthe other by less than a week, were: a) a generalization made by a studentwith regard to Latino culture, and b) a violently worded e-mail between two3PM students. The gravity of these incidents have not been met with muchscrutiny in the local press-their meanings have been derived almostentirely from the protestor's side, at face value.
The details of the incidents were described in the vaguest of termsby the Emerald on the Wednesday following the demonstration. The story,co-written by Maritza Ryciak and David Ryan, referred only in passing tothe "racial comment" and "threatening e-mails," focusing primarily on theprevious afternoon's spontaneous display of civil disobedience. TheEmerald's unwillingness to explore the issue from any other angle (save aprecious few Letters to the Editor) is not surprising. Were they to do so,a vocal condemnation would swiftly ensue-just the sort of public outcrythat the Emerald can't afford in the wake of the controversy surroundingcomments deemed sexist and racist made by Emerald columnist Vince Medeirosearlier this year.
The Commentator has obtained the e-mails posted to the classlistserve, and has spoken with several students present for both the classand e-mail discussion thereafter. What follows is the most completeaccount of the events leading up to the sit-in at Johnson Hall as theyunfolded yet available.
1. The 3PM class was divided intogroups by professor Elizabeth M. Rocha (Assistant Professor and 3PMUndergraduate Program Director) and asked to give a presentationconsidering the problem of forming policy to help unemployed andimpoverished Latinos-where all claims were to be backed up by research.
2. During his group presentation, student Scott Bones was outlining onesolution his group had proposed to aid Hispanics. According to an anonymousgroup member, Bones made the assertion that Hispanics had less of a workethic, since they "work for a few hours, take a siesta, and go back towork." Reaction from the class as a whole was sharp and overwhelminglynegative-attacking him personally, not questioning if his conclusion wasbased on statistical finding. Other members of his group were attacked forsimilar reasons.
3. An e-mail discussion of the comment and the class' reaction was begunby GTF Aliscia Niles. The class uniformly condemned Bones' words. Thefollowing excerpt, from an e-mail by Jennifer DuMond, is representative ofthe classroom sentiment (all e-mails verbatim):
There is a definite difference between simply expressing one's opinion, andblatently discriminating againt a group of people. Individuals shouldre-think their major if they are not devoted to public service withoutdiscrimination, because the PPPM department focuses on public service andirradicating discrimnation... Thank you again Aliscia and Elizabeth forshowing us not to tolerate racism.
Most messages suggested that Bones voluntarily remove himself from thedepartment. His lone supporter was group member Scott McCulloch, who, evenin defense of his classmate, understandably distanced himself from thewords his partner had used:
From: EZMix96@aol.com
Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 19:45:36 EDT
Subject: Apology
Fellow classmates,
I would like to take this oppertunity to opoligize for the clearmisunderstanding which took place in Tuesdays class. As a member of thegroup whos statements were taken as close-minded or racist, I can onlyoffer this in hopes to help set it right...
The statements made regarding the U of O and assumed cultural differenceswere not the thoughts of the group as a whole. However, I believe that thestatements made were misinterrpreted from the original thoughts thatindividual may have had, and that when backed into a corner, took adirection unintended. Please try to understand this, and remember that wehave all had times when we have mis-spoken ourselves, said something wedidn't actually feel, and wished we could take it back. Perhaps Thursdaywill offer a fishbowl to help sort things out,
~Scott McCulloch
4. Bones, under intense pressure fromhis peers and feeling what can best be described as "white guilt," met withProf. Rocha to discuss the circumstances and sort things out, later postingthe following e-mail to the class listserve:
From: TBones8748@aol.com
Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 19:46:51 EDT
Subject: Dining on crow with fifty guests.
Well, I guess I should begin with an apology to my classmates for speakingin a manner which is not generally accepted in a classroom setting. I amsorry.
Then follow with an apology to Elizabeth Rocha who seems to have taken thegreatest offense to my remarks. I apologize. Then follow by expressing myremorse to my group members for presenting our ideas in a manner that wasdoomed to be ill-received by our classmates. I am sorry about that.I must say that the presentation yesterday, while difficult for many ofyou, was a painful experience for me. Troubled by being called a racistafterward I found myself spending much of the night reading culturalliterature and immersed in self reflection.
At a time when most of you were probably sleeping I came to a realizationthat freed my conscience of guilt. I have spent the last two monthsattempting to understand the Latino community and trying develop viableways to improve that particular communities economic condition.
Furthermore, I have lived my entire life letting go of the anglo ego andtrying look through lenses that do not distort the true nature of thepeople I see. I mustn't allow myself to be overly troubled by one instanceof misdelivery of a message. Nor should I allow what others say about mebecome my concept of self identity. I should feel fortunate to have thisexperience in an academic setting.
I felt enlightened after watching "The Color of Fear" and I carried with mewisping feelings of disgust after leaving the Woodburn city council. Thatexposure reassured me that I did come to the right university. I dobelieve that in order to be a just administrator we must expose ourselvesto the full spectrum of viewpoints, movements, and ideals.
React to this episode however you choose to. If my current colleagues andteachers believe that I shouldn't continue learning and with the 3PMdepartment then, at the next feasible opportunity, I will humblydiscontinue me efforts in obtaining a degree from the department.
with the utmost sincerity,
Thomas 'Scott' Bones
5. The majority of the class rejected Bones' apology, judging itinsincere and made only to get the class off his back. Criticism of Bonesat this point shifted from his in-class statements to his retraction,ignoring the inciting incident. Sandra Spoor, who would quickly emerge asone of the most outspoken in the class, made the following (excerpted)comments:
Well, Mr. Bones, you not only owe a big fat apology to Prof. Rocha but youowe her a big ass Thank You too- because if you took a moment to find outthe educational backgrounds of the profs. (Hibbard, Rocha) in the PPPMDept.- that are feeding us this "stuff" you would understand why theremarks you made were so offensive.
On the other hand, tenuous support for Bones began to materialize,and from unlikely places (including head of the department MichaelHibbard). Student Lauren Baldel made one of the few intelligent assertionsabout the incident:
The First Amendment guarantees us the right to free speech and as futurepolicy makers we have a responsibility to uphold the Constitution. AlthoughI in no way agree with Scott's remarks, I believe that he is entitled tosay what he feels. His statement was ignorant, not true, and racist.However, in no way did he yell fire in a crowded theater.
6. McCulloch again ventured out into open territory, defending Bones'apology.
From: EZMix96@aol.com
Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 02:15:22 EDT
Subject: PPPM
I can't help but feel it is only the same few who continue these e-mails.I like the comments being made, but there is little diversity in what isreally being said, or who is saying it. Does anyone else have a point ofview on this topic???
I feel as though obviously racism is a problem. The only way to solve thisproblem is though education. Education is the only real way to solveanything. But must we stomp on others to prove a point? I don't reallyknow Scott B. all that well, but I still believe he was honest in hisapology. Not just because he wants off the hook, but because he knew assoon as he said it that he had made a gross generalizion. I think even afew of you might owe him an apology. I feel as though everyone is so quickto jump on everyone else, some won't say anything for fear of being rippedapart. So again, I invite all into this e-mail exchange. Thanks for yourtime,
Looking forward to being ripped apart,
Scott McCulloch
7. Ripped apart he was. Spoor immediately fired back, becomingconfrontational with him in a way that the rest of the class had not:
From: 8. Following this, several angry,anonymous e-mails were sent to particular students in the class, includingSpoor. Some were bitter and sarcastic: From: "Very Disgusted" Dear Ms. Spoor, I am not signing my name to this document because you have created ahostile environment in the class. I am also not sending this e-mail to theentire class because I am not out to embarrass you in front of others.Perhaps you could learn a lesson or two about that. Trust me, if every time you disagree with someone, you go ballistic onthem, people are not going to listen to what you have to say. Although Mr.McCullough had a few typos, he is NOT the one that sounds like anuneducated, ignorant fool. If you want people to listen to things you have to say, I suggest you do itin a more dignified matter. One, in particular, was inappropriate, and proved to be the finalstraw. The following e-mail, the source of the protest's righteous fury,was forwarded to the group by Spoor: At 01:17 AM 5/17/99 PDT, Ashley Kingston wrote: The Ashley Kingston in question turned out to be the girlfriend of3PM student John Convy-he had used her e-mail address in a short-sightedattempt to remain anonymous. The Office of Public Safety was contactedless than 24 hours later, but by this time, students in the class hadalready deduced the sender's identity. The following class period was just the next day, and joining theclass were OPS, EPD, and students representing both the Emerald and theCommentator. Schoolwork was suspended for the day while the increasinglyout-of-control situation took center stage. Convy was nowhere to be found.The sit-in was organized and took place that same afternoon. William Beutler, a sophomore majoring in English and Journalism, is anAssociate Editor for the Oregon Commentator Jonathan Collegio, a senior majoring in Political Science and Economics isPublisher for the Oregon Commentator
To: sspoor@gladstone.uoregon.edu
Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 03:36:47 MDT
Subject:
I commend you on your non-violent methods. I think you have set awonderful example for the class. Whenever we disagree with someone, Ithink we should tell them that they need a kick in the ass. I don't knowwhy someone didn't think of this before. It is a perfect way to solve allof the problems in the world. I am surprised that people like MartinLuther King did not use the "kick-in-the-ass" method. He and others likehim should have ignored ideas like educating people about racism and usingopen dialogue as a means of resolving conflict.
Your remark to Mr. McCulloch was not appropriate,therefore you will get aninappropriate response I was going to say this to you many classesago,before this class, I think you know who I am. I think you are an"anal", "prude" ,Bitch, you suggested a kick in the ass for Mr. McCulloch,well what you need Honey is someone to spread your legs(realwide,considering how tight it is) and fuck you up the ass, a kick would notbe enough!! and then maybe you will begin to understand what it is like tobe taken advantage of. HAVE A NICE DAY.....I don't like when people getpicked on, so don't mess with me....