The united protest on Wednesday, September 8, gave students whose voices are seldom heard an opportunity to speak out against the bigotry of Michelle Malkin.

Malkin currently enjoys unopposed airtime as acommentator for Fox News with her unscholarly works and shortsighted views often left unquestioned. She is a syndicated columnist and has had two books published. She has an enormous amount of free speech- the ability to have her ideas heard on a wide scale.

On the other hand, the thousands of Arabs, Muslims, and South Asians who have been harrassed, detained and deported have had no free speech - they have been silenced by the racist policies of the War on Terror, and their protests and ideas have not been broadcast. What about their speech, their ability to speak out and spread their ideas? Malkin advocates a further silencing of their voices. That's why we protested her- to defend and speak out for the freedoms of communities under attack.

The solidarity of students from a myriad of ethnic backgrounds at the protest resurrected our voices which have been anything but free since the advent ofthe PATRIOT Act and its curtailing of basic civil liberties.

For the Berkeley College Republicans to bring this type of figure, who openly defends the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII, disrespects all those who suffered during internment, which itself was condemned by the US Government. The racist ideologies of Malkin come at a time of immense backlash against Arab, Muslim, Sikhs, and South Asian Americans. We are threatened and appalled that the issue of internment reappears favorably during a dramatic rise of xenophobia in this country.

In addition, the argument that racial profiling might be a worth while inconvenience has been thoroughly discredited. Experiences, over and over, have shown that racial profiling is ineffective - when used by the police to find criminals, when used by the US government against the Japanese, and even in the case of terrorism. The Oklahoma City bombing was perpetrated by white men - the profile doesn't holdup. Let's not repeat a historical error by using a method which is both racist and ineffective.

The current US administration has consistently incorporated racism and fear in defense of the invasion of Iraq and the so-called "war on terror." Malkin embodies the dangerous narrow-mindedness that threatens our communities.

Internment and racial profiling should never be tolerated under any circumstances; we will always stand united against racism and those who actively promote it.

Signed,
Pilipino American Alliance, Core Officers 2004-2005
Committee 4 Pilipino Studies
Asian Pacific Islander Sisterhood Alliance
Arab Student Union
Students for Justice in Palestine
Sikh Student Association
Berkeley Stop the War Coalition
International Socialist Organization

Some supporters of Malkin chose to bring signs of their own recognizing her right to speak. 

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# posted by Andy @ 2:07 AM

A protester has a sign reading "This Brave College Republican is too busy 'defending' Michelle Malkin to fight in IRAQ." which he held above the head of members of BCR. 

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# posted by Andy @ 2:06 AM

Sid Patel, the organizer behind the letter signed off on by the campus organizations that took part in the protest can be seen here during one of the chants. 

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# posted by Andy @ 2:04 AM

Two protesters can be seen here taunting one of the members of BCR> 

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# posted by Andy @ 2:04 AM

There was at least one police officer guarding the entrance to 145 Dwinelle during the entire speech. 

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# posted by Andy @ 2:04 AM

This unidentified girl was leading one of the chants during the protest. 

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# posted by Andy @ 2:03 AM

A large crowd or protesters can be see here chanting slogans denouncing racism, with BCR members visible in the back of the photo (you can tell them by their yellow ribbons) and a police officer by the door. 

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# posted by Andy @ 2:02 AM

Bruce, the lone counter-protester that I saw showed up with his Bush Cheney shirt to argue with the protesters. 

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# posted by Andy @ 2:01 AM

Members of BCR stood outside of 145 Dwinelle during the speech, and here two members of the group can be seen standing in front of the protesters. They had very little interaction with the protesters, and for the most part refused to engage them in any dialogue. 

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# posted by Andy @ 1:59 AM

There was a large number of professional reporters at the event, and I saw news vans parked outside on Bancroft and spoke to a KRON 4 reporter who was there. 

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# posted by Andy @ 1:58 AM

Amaury Gallais got on a table and used a bullhorn to ask the protesters to leave. They shouted him down, and refused to leave. 

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# posted by Andy @ 1:58 AM

The protesters first grouped up right inside of the doors to Dwinelle before moving further inside until they were right outside the doors to 145 Dwinelle.  

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# posted by Andy @ 1:57 AM

Protesters can be seen packing the hallway in Dwinelle between 145 and 155. The Asian American students in the far left of the picture (behind the tables and wearing the yellow shirts) are members of AAA, which was meeting in 155 Dwinelle during Malkin's speech. 

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# posted by Andy @ 1:55 AM

Dean Kenney was inside for much of the speech, as well as outside in the hallway of Dwinelle later in the night for part of the protest. 

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# posted by Andy @ 1:51 AM

I counted between 10-12 Police Officers at the event, including the woman in the light blue shirt who had that camera running during the entire protest. This is an extremely wise move in my mind, as it will aid the police in pursuing any charges against a suspect as well as defending against accusations of abuse if there is a video record of what appeared. 

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# posted by Andy @ 1:41 AM

Right at 7:00 the protesters outside lined up with the Asian groups on the right, and the socialists on the left to chant slogans together. 

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# posted by Andy @ 1:40 AM

Some Berkeley students showed off their sense of humor while protesting Malkin's speech. 

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# posted by Andy @ 1:38 AM

Members of the Spartacus Youth Club held a picket line on the stairs. 

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# posted by Andy @ 1:34 AM

These protesters were singing a song in (Tagalog?) while waiting for Malkin to leave the room she went to after the speech

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# posted by Andy @ 1:32 AM

Explaining the Creation of CalStuff Extended

Collections of photographs, lengthy interviews, and other content too long for CalStuff will potentially find its home here until a better solution can be discovered.

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