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Dear George, I write in response to the DP editorial about the "Hope not Hate" program where the media was denied (initially) entrance in to the forum. The writer was right on target. This is widespread lately at UVA. Definite freedom of speech and assembly issues at this University. I fear this will only worsen as UVA moves towards privatization this January. The staff union had planned for many weeks to have a protest about the charter initiative. We called and reserved our time and location at the Rotunda where the BOV was meeting. Number one, since when does a citizen or an organization have to ASK for permission to protest? This is STILL a public institution and the whole university is a freedom of speech zone. Supposedly. At 4:00 the day before the protest, after all press releases had gone out, Sandy Gillam decided that we had to move our protest to the lawn side of the Rotunda. This would have made it difficult for folks to find our protest. Gillam said there was another protest at the same place at the same time. It is highly doubtful that two organizations were having a rally at the same time on the same day. Obviously the BOV wanted us to retreat away from the street side so no one would see us. Or cancel it all together. Turns out there was not another protest, it was all made up. It was mentioned our sister organization-GLU-had scheduled a protest. Wrong. GLU was a cosponsor of OUR rally. The Rotunda scheduling person also said no microphones could be used-excuse me-no amplification. Huh???? WHY? The BOV can't be made to listen to workers and students speaking up? And come January, they are going to be the boss of every worker and every student worker? The BOV is too high and mighty to listen to dissenting views? EXCUSE me??? And this group is going to be running the institution in a few months? One can only pray that the charter initiative doesn't go through the General Assembly. My point is our civil liberties are being eroded every day. UVA is not a private institution YET. We simply moved our rally off of the steps on the street side and more towards the street and it turned out fine. And we used our bullhorn. Cops and various administrators were standing on the steps looking very intimidating. But we prevailed and weren't intimidated. We will continue to protest only next time we won't call and ASK where we can have it. We will just do it. With a microphone. The union will not be intimidated into not speaking up. We always will and the BOV and UVA will just have to live with it. We will not be silenced and I hope the press will continue to insist on entrance to all important events at UVA. I think Mr. Jefferson would approve. Jan Cornell (electronic mail, October 9, 2004)
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