Thread: Students Protest Tancredo's Speech at American U.

Students protest former Rep. Tom Tancredo's speech at American U.
By Marissa Lang
February 25, 2009
Source: The Diamondback, U. Maryland

WASHINGTON - More than 400 students from universities across the Washington metropolitan area converged at American University Tuesday night in a peaceful protest, waving signs festooned with a simple message written and occasionally shouted in more than five different languages: "America is multicultural."

Students from this university, American, George Washington and Georgetown sat in forced silence at American University last night, as American University police officers encircled the room, to oppose former Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo's (R) stand against immigration and America's "cult of diversity."

More than 10 students from the University of Maryland made the trip to American University to protest what they perceived to be a personal affront to many Americans' cultures and histories.

"This matters to me," sophomore art major Ingrid Berbery said. " I want to hear the other perspective, but most of all I feel like my presence makes a difference. And we need to make our voices heard."

The trip was organized by the Latino Student Union's advocacy committee, though other students attended. They said they heard about the protest via an announcement sent out by the D.C. Latino Student Partnership, an umbrella organization that organizes and increases communication between Latino groups in the area.

"This is a lot more people than we were expecting to respond," said organizer Elzy Muñoz. "And look around, it's not just Latino students, it's all different colors of people."

Tancredo was invited to speak at American University by the newly established national organization Youth for Western Civilization - a national right-wing organization that aims to reverse policies perceived as being anti-American - which YWC President Kevin DeAnna said will likely attempt to establish a chapter at this university in the near future.

"We need to announce ourselves as a force," DeAnna said. "[The turnout] shows that people have been waiting for this kind of a message: that people of the West should get off of their knees."

Though Tancredo denied being prejudiced against any group, students characterized much of the former congressman's ideologies as being "ignorant" and "racist."

"I've gotten to the point, over the years, where I only say something if I think it's completely necessary," freshman Arabic studies and criminology and criminal justice major Carla Castro said. "But this is just ignorant. And Hispanics need to stand up and come together to fight it."

Tancredo, who ran for president in 2008, dubbed immigrants' tendencies to hold on to their own cultures as a destructive force in the "American fabric" that he said needs to change to preserve the union.

"Throughout history, people who are not white Anglo-Saxon have become American by adopting a white Anglo-Saxon culture," Tancredo said. "Today, this cult of multiculturality emphasizes our differences - things that pull us apart instead of bringing us together."

Lidia Rosas said despite Tancredo's insistence, it is very hard to separate supporting anti-immigrant politics from being prejudiced against the immigrants themselves.

"He said he's not being racist, but just look at the people he's railing against," Rosas said. "What color are they? You can't separate the two issues."

Tancredo's speech singled out both Latinos and Muslims as "problem" cultures that are contributing to the fragmentation of American society.

"We are forcing children to participate in a world that promotes Muslim sensitivities," he said. "We are losing the relevance of citizenship. Being an American used to mean something. We have every right to be proud of who we are. And this is not something I think we can survive."


This story was originally published by The Diamondback
To view the original story, click here
http://media.www.diamondbackonline.com/ ... 7301.shtml

http://www.uwire.com/Article.aspx?id=3797812

Related:
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-147278.html

Just wonder how many of the protesters were anchor babies of illegals or students that did not belong here in the first place, taking spots away from legal Americans.
And Tancredo supports this country be a nation of laws, not kowtow to every whim of the most vocal or demonstrative, whether they have the right to speak against our nation, standards and laws, or not.

"This matters to me," sophomore art major Ingrid Berbery said. " I want to hear the other perspective, but most of all I feel like my presence makes a difference. And we need to make our voices heard."

That's all we ever hear......now why not sit down, shut up and give the other voices a chance? They deserve to be heard as well.

Originally Posted by vortex

Just wonder how many of the protesters were anchor babies of illegals or students that did not belong here in the first place, taking spots away from legal Americans.
And Tancredo supports this country be a nation of laws, not kowtow to every whim of the most vocal or demonstrative, whether they have the right to speak against our nation, standards and laws, or not.

No doubt VT! It certainly does make one wonder!

The stupid college students that are American citizens don't realize that Tom Tancredo is trying to help them have a free and prosperous future .


God Bless Tom Tanacredo he is a brave man of high character!

Comment Section Is Open, No Registration Required