Thread: UA Group Puts up Memorial in Response to Mock Border Fence

UA group puts up memorial in response to mock border fence

Posted: Mar 23, 2011 5:13 PM CDT
Updated: Mar 24, 2011 1:00 PM CDT

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UA group puts up memorial in response to mock border fence
1:25


Reporter: Sergio Avila
Web Producer: Layla Tang

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - A group of University of Arizona students decided to build their own display, after a human rights group erected a mock border wall in the middle of campus to protest crackdowns on illegal immigration. The memorial to U.S. Border Patrol agents went up Wednesday morning, built by the College Republicans. It honors Border Patrol agents who put their lives on the line every day to protect our country both on the southern and northern border.

It has 112 small American flags planted in vases representing the men and women who have died serving the border patrol since 1904. When Trey Terry saw the fence put up by the human right's group "No More Deaths" he knew the College Republicans had to act.

"There's always jokes around, 'cut the fence make it more realistic,' do things like that, but we wanted to do something that would at least become a tribute to those that actually protect and serve on our borders," Terry said.

Fence organizers told KGUN9 News the idea was to stir up discussion about immigration, but Terry saw it as a one-sided pro-immigrant project.

"We wanted to just draw attention also on campus that there is still common sense here on campus, we're not all just 'no borders, open border' people," Terry said.

Jennifer Sevillano was just one of the people who stopped to look at the memorial. She feels especially connected to the display because her brother is a Border Patrol agent.

"I feel like our Border Patrol, anybody that works protecting our border usually gets such negative light. And it's nice to see them getting recognized for the positive things they do, which is protect our border," Sevillano said.

Other people realize the memorial proves an important point that the mock fence does not address.

"Well the fence I mean, it gets their point across but it ignores this kind of reality that's happening on the border," said UA student Jerome Longoria.

The College Republicans were able to get the memorial up within just a few days of the mock border fence going up, and they're hoping it will stay on campus through the end of the week.

http://www.kgun9.com/global/story.asp?s=14309383

Students upset over USBP memorial hold protest, write on sidewalk

Posted: Mar 24, 2011 10:44 PM CDT
Updated: Mar 25, 2011 12:29 AM CDT



Reporter: Brian Pryor

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Students upset over a memorial honoring fallen Border Patrol agents on the University of Arizona campus protested Thursday by writing in chalk on the sidewalk in front of the memorial booth.

Sgt. Alvarez with the University of Arizona Police Department said that they responded when a group of students had gathered in front of the memorial protesting and writing in chalk on the sidewalk. Alvarez said that the students were contacted by officers who determined they were exercising their first amendment rights. When KGUN9 asked whether the students would be cited for criminal damage and disturbing an education institution, Alvarez said he had no comment at this time.

In September of 2009, former UofA student Jacob Miller was arrested and cited on both charges for drawing in chalk on the University of Arizona sidewalk and buildings.

Francisco Baires with the University of Arizona group No Mas Muerte who erected the fence in hopes of stirring up discussion about immigration reform said that the fence is there to honor all those who have died along the border, both agents and immigrants. He added that No Mas Muerte was "appalled that someone would desecrate the memorial" adding that they did not stand for such action.

Trey Terry with the University of Arizona College Republicans who built the fallen agent memorial said he knew of the vandalism and they would be releasing a statement shortly.

Baires called upon supporters of both sides of the debate and the fence issue to remain civil, "to people who are in support of the mock border wall or against it, we want to urge everyone on both sides to not engage in forms of vandalism or ignorant acts which will soil the memory of those who have died."


http://www.kgun9.com/global/story.asp?s=14318911

Mock Border Fence at Univ. of Arizona

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-231832.html

Thank God for young Republican's!

So it's okay when the open borders crowd wants to build a mock fence but when someone else builds a memorial they protest. It only confirms my opinion that Hispanics don't want equal treatment, they want special treatment that is above and beyond that received by American citizens.

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

So it's okay when the open borders crowd wants to build a mock fence but when someone else builds a memorial they protest. It only confirms my opinion that Hispanics don't want equal treatment, they want special treatment that is above and beyond that received by American citizens.

You beat me to it ReggieMay! I was looking into the incident that happened in 2009, an American and presumably white student was arrested for chalk drawings... same thing the protesters did here and now. Only NOW it's okay, I guess 'cause they were Latinos!

Here is the old article I was reading. Please note a few things:

Juan Alvarez of the PD arrests white kid for criminal damage and disturbing an educational institution.

His crime: drawing with chalk.

Yet in the here and now the same Juan Alvarez states: that the students were contacted by officers who determined they were exercising their first amendment rights. When KGUN9 asked whether the students would be cited for criminal damage and disturbing an education institution, Alvarez said he had no comment at this time.

Grad student arrested for chalk drawings

By Tim McDonnell and Hank Dean Stephenson

Published: Friday, September 25, 2009

Updated: Monday, September 28, 2009 04:09


Tim McDonnell / Arizona Daily Wildcat

Click here to read the follow-up story.

A UA graduate student was arrested on campus after yesterday's Arizona for Education Rally and cited on charges of criminal damage and disturbing an educational institution.

His crime: drawing with chalk.

Jacob Miller, a masters student in Geography, was arrested just before 1 p.m., a few hours after he and about 10 other students drew pictures and messages in over 80 locations around campus.

The drawings were part of yesterday's student rally. Some depicted outlines of bodies with price tags, which rally organizers said were meant to represent the commercialization of higher education.

Associated Director of Facilities Management Chris Kopach said he was contacted by the University of Arizona Police Department and asked to assign maintenance personnel to wash up the chalk drawings.

The process cost about $1,000, Kopach said.

Many of the drawings were washed away by the time the rally began, at about 12:15 p.m., rally organizers said.

An unnamed university employee called police at about 8:30 a.m. to report the chalk drawings, said UAPD spokesman Juan Alvarez.

Miller was charged on two counts of class one misdemeanor, each carrying a maximum penalty of six months in jail and $2,500, plus possible restitution charges for the cleanup, Alvarez said.

Miller's court date is set for Oct. 14.

Chalk drawings are considered criminal damage because the university has to pay for someone to clean it up, Alvarez said.

Miller said he was arrested sometime after the rally ended at 12:45 p.m. when officers flagged him down outside the Administration Building.

Miller said officers told him they were able to identify him using video surveillance footage.

Miller told the Daily Wildcat his reaction to the arrest was "disbelief, surprise."

Alvarez said there were more than 80 instances where chalk was applied around campus.

"It wasn't just applied on the sidewalk. It was applied on other areas and it interferes with the aesthetics of the building."

The chalk drawings were spread out across campus, Miller said, including in front of both the library and the Administration building. The drawings, he said, were meant to draw peoples' attention to the important budget cut issue.

Miller said his arrest would likely generate more support for his cause.

"I guess it'll raise awareness that there was a rally," he said. "In that sense it's publicity."

Stay with DailyWildcat.com for more coverage.
http://wildcat.arizona.edu/news/grad...wings-1.529255