"Who??"

[madamesilverspurs]

"Who??" That was the response from a young friend when I mentioned that I was going to hear Angela Davis speak. Aside from making me feel old, his question made me doubly glad that Davis was going to be speaking to an audience comprised mostly of students.

The host school, the University of Northern Colorado, is situated in a deep red part of the state, so it wasn't surprising when the first announcement of Davis' speech elicited grumbles and demands for protest. It was a bit surprising, then, to find not even one protest sign on campus, especially given the volume and tenor of the outcries that had been posted to the newspaper. And they can't blame the weather for their absence as it was merely coolish and didn't start raining until her speech was nearly done.

The event was held in the ballroom, and I am gratified to report that it was packed. Having attended a number of events in that particular venue, I guesstimated the crowd to be 500-600; the local paper (see link below) reported an audience of 700, and this is a paper not known for promoting anything non-conservative. Another guess on my part that at least two-thirds of those attending were students; the rest were faculty and local residents, more than a few Democrats and community organizers among them. I did notice a couple of our more outspoken rightwingers, one of whom is known for dominating the conversation at public events.

The newspaper actually did a fairly decent story about the event (see the link below). But there was an interesting bit that wasn't given its due: After Davis concluded her lecture the audience was invited to ask questions, and the first to approach the mic was a defense attorney whose question related concerns about the rise of prisons-for-profit. In her answer, Davis mentioned that state and city planners use third-grade illiteracy rates to project how many prisons they'll need to build -- she then suggested that it might make more sense, instead of building more prisons, to build better education. Both the question and the response received enthusiastic applause from the students; encouraging, that.

Happily for all, the event ended before the long-winded rightwinger could claim the mic. As for the protesters who didn't show up, you'll find them warm and dry and safely anonymous in the comments posted to the newspaper article.

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20110420/NEWS/704209944/1002&parentprofile=1001


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[gratuitous]

1. On the scene reporting - love it

And isn't it interesting that all the brave nay-sayers couldn't find their way to the ballroom, but are incredibly tough talking sitting at their keyboards well afterwards? Hardly three working brain cells to share among them, bless their hearts.

[madamesilverspurs]

2. Interesting, too,

that their online comments, like their signs, are not run through spellcheck . . .


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[madamesilverspurs]

3. kicking to ask a favor --

The comments posted to the article could benefit by some DU wisdom. Please consider adding to the conversation.

And thanks!

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