CMU Statement of Unity against Shabazz

To whom it may concern:

We, the undersigned, would like to voice our extreme discontent regarding the actions taken by the university-funded student group, Spirit. Listed below are our grievances:

-Spirit endangered the campus community by bringing a prominent, militant, racist to campus. This is clearly evident by the requirement of the presence of New Black Panther militants, who were armed and wearing military fatigues, as well as the presence of metal detectors and police frisking at the entrance to the event.

-Spirit violated the terms for having funded recognition, regarding discrimination. People waiting in line to enter the event were being discriminated against, primarily by their race, as far as being granted access to the event.

-We are extremely displeased about Spirits decision to have all media removed from the audience.

-We are disappointed in Spirits failure to keep their promise that if Shabazz strayed from topic, the microphone would be taken away and the event cancelled.

-We are disgusted by Shabazzs consistent use of public humiliation as a tool to get his point across. He named a specific student at CMU and repeated her name several times during his honorarium, in order to embarrass her, discredit her and defame her. He also requested that all Jews, specifically the Zionists, in the auditorium, raise their hands for all to see, and then proceeded to insult and embarrass them and incite potential violence against them.

-We are extremely disappointed in Spirit for organizing an event that had the potential to divide the student body by race, religion and political beliefs.

Since Spirit, as an organization, is primarily responsible for this event, they need to accept responsibility for the event, as well as the repercussions. Spirit cannot claim that Shabazz acted on his own accord and that they are not responsible for his actions. By granting Shabazz access to our university, Spirit must take responsibility for Shabazzs actions. Listed below are our demands for repercussions for their event:

-Spirit will lose its funded recognition for the 2005/2006 academic year.

-Following the 2005/2006 academic year, Spirit will only be reconsidered for funded-recognition if the offices of their Executive Board are vacated by the current occupiers and newly elected alternate officers are instated.