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Archive for the 'Pacifica Forum' Category

Oops! [Update]

February 1st, 2010 by D

[Update] Phylicia Haggerty came to our office today and told us that she did not make this phone call.

Just received a phone call from some who claimed to be Phylicia Haggerty. Here’s how it went:

OC: Hello?

PH: Hi, my name is Phylicia. I just read something on your website I didn’t appreciate. Who am I talking to?

OC: Dane

PH: Alright well that e-mail was meant to be private. I didn’t send it to you, I meant for it to be between me and the [ASUO] Senate.

OC: Well it was sent to us by someone you communicated with. At that point in time, the e-mail he sent was his property.

PH: I meant for it to be private though. I don’t appreciate that.

OC: Well, I think that it really adds to the conversation about the Pacifica Forum. It’s already a part of the public domain.

PH: I’d rather it be taken down. Do you have a boss?

OC: Nope. I am the boss.

PH: Well I think it should be taken down. I never sent any of those to you.

OC: You never stated to anyone that you didn’t wish for them to be printed. Similarly, you actually did send us the second e-mail. You clicked “reply all” instead of just “reply”. You had prior knowledge of who you sent the e-mail to.

PH: I never meant for it to be published. Are you sure there’s no one else there I can talk to?

OC: Nope.

PH: So even if I come do there… where you guys at? Room 319?

OC: Yeah, I’ll be here if you want. The post will remain up though, it’s public information.

PH: So you’re not going to take it down?

OC: Nope. It says right on our masthead that we can print anything you send to us.

PH: Ok, well you’ll be hearing from me then.

OC: Ok.

I feel threatened, don’t you agree? I’m worried about my safety on campus, seeing as she knows where I am.

That Which Springs from Ignorance, Part 2

January 31st, 2010 by D

Here is Phylicia Haggerty’s reply to ASUO Sen. Tyler Griffin’s previous email:

“Tyler,

I appreciate you writing me back. To clarify a few things 1) I am not ignorant and 2) I never said ASUO members have never been discriminated against. I did say that most of you are probably not taking this situation seriously because based on who the Pacifica forum is gearing hatred towards most of you would not classify. I think it was very unprofessional for you to say and I quote “how dare me” and that I should be ashamed of what I said. I think it is truly sad that some of the ASUO members have to thought twice about an issue that is blatantly wrong. I think it is ironic that from what I said in my e-mail that you would have the audacity to claim that you are scared of me. It is too bad that this issue probably will not be resolved until someone gets hurt. I do apologize for saying that nothing has been done about this issue because I know most of you do understand and that you are trying to find a solution. I will not be contacting you on any other circumstances and I do appreciate your time because I know you are very busy. I did contact Student Affairs and I have falsely accused ASUO Senate members in that the policy decision making is not left up to you completely in that the President makes final decisions. Thank you again for your time.

Phylicia Haggerty”

At this point in time, since Griffin hasn’t responded to Haggerty (or hasn’t forwarded us his response) we might as well take a swing at this one. Let’s start with her first e-mail, one which is astoundingly hilarious in its authors minute grasp of rational thought, or a basic concept of the U.S. Constitution.

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That Which Springs from Ignorance

January 30th, 2010 by D

Today we were forwarded an e-mail correspondence between Phylicia Haggerty, a University of Oregon student, and ASUO Senator Tyler Griffin. I warn you, its contents are disturbing, for it shows the true nature of the misguidance many students have about the Pacifica Forum situation. I have my own opinions about the contents of this e-mail, but I dare not write them here, lest I take away from the incredibly intelligent, well-spoken and well-informed e-mail response Sen. Griffin replied to Haggerty with.

I hope Griffin doesn’t mind that I’ve posted this here, but I believe that such attacks on the members of the ASUO, who have been a highly deliberative body on the subject to this point, should not be subject to such ignorant attacks from members of our student body. I hope students can better inform themselves by better understanding the depth and consideration all members of the ASUO have taken on this point. All I can say is that I openly applaud Griffin for his expressed opinions within his reply. Good for you, Tyler.

From Phylicia Haggerty to Sen. Tyler Griffin:

To The Members of Our Student Senate,

I am a senior at the University of Oregon and I am very concerned for my safety. I am not understanding why the Pacifica Forum situation has not been resolved. I am getting ready to graduate in June with two degrees from this institution, which up until a week ago I was very proud to be a duck.

I have written a letter to Student affairs along with the president of this institution because I feel as though you all are clearly not responsible to make the right decision. I wish you could all sit back and take this situation personally, but you cant because your not the one being hated against. I know what you all look like and as far as I am concerned I believe there is only one person who looks like they would be hated against by this forum so I would not expect you to take this personally. I have already called the Oregonian and if you do not think this news will get out of the University of Oregon spot light you have another thing coming. If this hate group were a bunch of students of color you would have resolved this already.

Freedom of speech? Really is that all you can back your decision on. I bet that students will use their freedom of speech to take this higher than all of you. The first amendment is only applicable when it does no harm to others. Trust me, I have studied plenty of Supreme Court cases. I am very saddened that this has happened and nothing has been done about it. Being a person of color on this campus is already difficult and then to have a hate group promoting students to hate us is even worse. I hope this e-mail finds you well, but I am very frustrated and hurt that I do not feel safe to walk to class, and the fact that nothing has been done about it is beyond unbelievable. If you do not think that the diversity on this campus will decrease due to this decision you need to think again.

That is of course you probably have no concern to keep this “diverse” campus “diverse”. I urge you to sleep on your decision and attempt to take it personally before next weeks meeting. Thank you for your time.

Now, from Griffin back to Haggerty:

Phylicia,

I am sorry you feel hurt, and unsafe, and think that we are morally bankrupt people for not voting for this resolution, but..

You make me feel unsafe. And, yes at this time, because of this email you sent, I feel ashamed to be a duck. Knowing that my peers at this university are so ignorant and naïve to make such accusations of our ASUO Senators, elected by student body.

And, how dare you say we on the body have not been discriminated against! You should truly be ashamed for saying this. You trivialize the nature hate, as you are using the same rhetoric that you wish to silence.

I would encourage you to think, in more depth, what are the possible implications of your extremely false accusations.

Feel free to contact me at any point.

Senator Tyler Griffin (seat six)
EMU Board
Rules Committee Chair.

What the Pacifica Forum Issue is Really About

January 26th, 2010 by Evan Patrick Thomas

This is a guest piece submitted to the Oregon Commentator by a student. Unfortunately, by the time we received it we did not have space for it. We have instead chose to post it to our blog as the content is time sensitive. Be advised that the student is not a member of the Oregon Commentator and their views do not represent the editorial position of the Oregon Commentator.

*Note: I am not representing the interest of either opposing faction in terms of this issue: the Pacifica Forum, or its protestors. I represent the legal system applicable to all persons of this country as defined by the institution of the UO’s Code of Conduct, the Oregon State Constitution and the Federal Constitution. I am a realist; I hope I can convince readers to be realists with me.

There seems to be a general misunderstanding by the Pacifica Forum protesters about the causality and validity of their protest.  The Pacifica Forum has become notorious for housing uncommon, extremist ideological perspectives that few of us share or respect. Speakers at Pacifica have denounced Judaism, preached hate, and lashed out at community members: they have been specifically praised and acknowledged by neo-Nazi organizations and the NSM (though it is important to point out that the Anti-Hate Task Force, the group leading the protest against PF, has been praised and acknowledged by neo-Communist organizations).  But, in order to objectively and dispassionately review the behavior of the Pacifica Forum, as is necessary for legal dispute like banning them from government property, it is important to translate and apply our laws to this organization, not just attack them on morality and personal emotion before litigation is announced. Unfortunately for many protesters, our laws protect this organization.

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Pacifica Forum resolution to set precedent

January 26th, 2010 by D

As you may be aware of, since last week’s Senate meeting, the debate over the Forum has turned to a matter of “student safety”. Several people spoke at the Senate meeting about how they felt threatened by members of the Forum’s choice of words, specifically with comments regarding rape etc. Even ASUO President Emma Kallaway has received an e-mail with pictures of her taken by Pacifica members with her comments written below.

Now, although our detractors would beg to differ, the Commentator prides itself on giving fair judgment to situations, especially ones that are sensitive to civil rights. Since the efforts of protesters last week to turn the issue towards student safety, the Commentator has been feverishly trying to uncover examples from students who feel they have been violently attacked–indeed, if such an event had happened, that would call for a serious discussion on the Forum effecting student safety.

Unfortunately, as you can read in Ross’ article, there have been no explicit threats or acts of violence by members of the Pacifica Forum to our student body. Rather, I should say, that if there has been explicit threats, we have not been able to find evidence of it. We have contacted both DPS and the EPD and neither of them have any reports filed about a member of the Pacifica Forum making an explicit threat of violence. Further, those making the claims of violence or threats from the Pacifica Forum have been unwilling to provide evidence or documentation of these events.

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ASUO Senate Proposed Pacifica Resolution

January 26th, 2010 by D

You can preview the ASUO Senate resolution on the Pacifica Forum here before it goes to the Rules Committee on Wednesday.

ASUO Pacifica Forum Resolution

Last Friday’s Pacifica Forum Protest on Film

January 25th, 2010 by Drew Cattermole

Here is video of last Friday’s Pacifica Forum protest. The camera work and audio is a little off but the ability to see the ruckus is still there. If you look closely you can see the OC news team in action, enjoying the anarchy.

Protesting the Protesters

January 21st, 2010 by D

Apparently the Pacifica Forum protesters discussed a rumor that the Oregon Commentator would, “Send 30 or 40 people to protest our protest of the Pacifica Forum.” Looks like they were wrong.

Apathy is a human right.

Letter from the UO Administration

January 21st, 2010 by D

January 21, 2010

To: UO faculty and staff

From: Robin H. Holmes, Vice President, Division of Student Affairs; Charles Martinez, Vice President, Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity; Frances Dyke, Vice President, Finance and Administration

Over the last few weeks, faculty, staff, students and community members have expressed increasing concern about the presence of the Pacifica Forum on campus. Student leaders are concerned about personal safety and the well-being of our campus. We take these concerns very seriously.

In response, the Pacifica Forum’s reservation in the Erb Memorial Union (EMU) will be transferred to a different location for the remainder of this academic year. The alternative location, currently Agate Hall, will provide better security options for the campus, recognize the community rather than student nature of the Pacifica Forum, and provide a larger venue when necessary. We will continue to monitor and review this decision.

University administration and senior academic leadership are in the process of revising its facilities use policies. The goal is to clarify facility use on the University of Oregon campus and how and when university activities will be held by a university or outside group.

Students and community members may exercise their right to be heard, in support of or in protest, within the University’s time, place and manner expectations. The Division of Student Affairs, ASUO, Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity and the Department of Public Safety will continue to work collaboratively and diligently to ensure safety for all involved in peaceful, non-violent rallies and protests.

Use of space on campus to hold an event does not mean that the University endorses it.

As a public institution, we value free speech and academic freedom. As an academic enterprise, it is appropriate for us to debate the boundaries and expectations of free speech. Our primary mission is the advancement of student learning, research and service. Activities that occur on our campus should emanate from these core goals and must not jeopardize safety or disrupt our educational and workplace environments. When they do, it is our responsibility to respond.

Pacifica Forum Out of EMU

January 21st, 2010 by Drew Cattermole

University of Oregon officials have decided that the Pacifica Forum is no longer allowed to hold meetings within the EMU for the rest of the year. University Administrator Dr. Paul Shang informed last nights crowd several times throughout the senate meeting that the UO’s Administration has banned the controversial group from holding meetings in the EMU for remainder of the year.

That was just the beginning of an ASUO senate meeting that had to be one of the most emotional and intense senate meetings this  school year. Over 70 students attended the meeting pushing the maximum occupancy of the Walnut Room to the limit, making a few onlookers watch from the windows.  The new resolution stated that the Pacifica Forum should remove themselves from the UO’s campus. The resolution was amended later to state that the students no longer want the Pacifica Forum gathering on campus.

Before the proposal was presented the ASUO allowed for 20 minutes for a guests speakers list. Several audience members declared that they feel unsafe on campus. Ashlie Watts a student at the University of Oregon declared that “I’m from Southern California and I never experienced blatant racism until I came to Eugene.” BSU president Michael Reta declared that BSU members do not feel safe on campus.

The issue of campus safety was at the heart the argument for the resolution. People who presented the resolution brought up  several safety issues citing  one instance of a Pacifica  Forum member  bringing a knife to campus, several instances of protesters being targeted by Pacifica Forum members on fliers and several instances of harassment through E-Mail from members of the forum.

The senate  got very emotional in debating whether or not this resolution would infringe people’s right in free speech. ASUO Vice President Getachew emphatically  exclaimed that “This is not an issue of free speech, this is an issue of safety.”

The administration is hesitant on making a quick decision on whether or not to remove the group from campus entirely. Dr. Robin Holmes stated. “We want to make sure that we can protect the institution.” It seems that the administration is going to take a while on making a decision on whether or not to remove the Pacifica Forum entirely from campus. This is largely in part because removing the group could be in violation of the 1st Amendment.

The resolution will be voted on at next weeks senate meeting.

Pacifica Protestors

January 20th, 2010 by Nick Ekblad

Tonight there was a Pacifica protest meeting at Cafe Roma. The Commentator was a seemingly unwelcome addition to the meeting when it was stated by one of the Black Tea Society affiliates wrapped in a particularly douchey bandana that, “Contributors to the Oregon Commentator have voiced their support of free speech by ANY means necessary.” This seemed a bit absurd to me. I believe the blog comment (not a staffer’s post) was:

“OC editors, I respect you: Call me on it if I’m wrong to be frustrated with the funding side. I support free speech, and would, indeed, fight to the death to protect the PF’s right to it. (Well, maybe not Marr. But the others? Sure.)”

The protesters on Friday were disorganized to say the least. They could not agree on what it was that they were protesting, let alone whether they were to be silent or disruptive. Fortunately, this was first thing on the agenda.

Cimmeron Gillespie wanted to emphasize that protesters against the forum should not associate their cause with the question of free speech. Gillespie made it very clear that the reason for the meeting was to plan an effective protest against what they believe to be a narrow-minded group with ties to one or more groups, such as Volksfront and Stormfront, who have an alleged history of violent bigotry.

“Again, this is a campus and student safety issue,” Gillespie continued. He then ran us all through the plan of attack for their protesting of the next Forum topic: Neo-Communism and the Anti-Hate Task Force (which, supposedly, targets one of Eugene’s own Lane County Board members. Pictures of him and other protesters from last Friday appear on the fliers). The plan consists of three parts:

1. Framing – Emphasize safety, not free speech.

2. Administration – Gillespie described the UO administration as, “A giant tractor with no engine. We have to pull and push and move it how we want.”

3. Forum – Develop a reasonable argument with constructive questions that will lead Billy Rojas and his followers to either “hang themselves up,” or realize the error of their ways.

Emma Kallaway put in her two cents, using her experience with the administration to her advantage. She thought that this whole fiasco is even more complicated than it seems. The fact that the University of Oregon is a public institution funded by the state and part of OUS (Oregon University System), iterates that the buck doesn’t stop with Dick Lariviere. Furthermore, to change policy regarding alumni, old professors and rights to the usage of OUS property is asking quite a bit.

As for the Pacifica Forum, hopefully they will have a chance to exercise their right to free speech this Friday. Personally, I can’t speak to the extent of their connections with violent groups and whether or not they are using Pacifica as a front for their “socialist recruiting machine.”

There will also be a Senate meeting in the Walnut Room on Friday at 7pm. The first ten minutes will consist of four people recalling their individual altercations with Pacifica attendees. The rest of the time is reserved for questions.

Those wishing to learn more about the issue are encouraged to attend and not ignorantly yell and scream like a fucking idiot.

In Defense of Free Speech

January 16th, 2010 by D

As I opened the door to our office today, there were two notes slipped under our door. Here’s what they had to say:

Dear Oregon Commentator,

We would like you to cover the Pacifica Forum debate that took place today. My friends and I went, but what we found was not the free exchange of ideas but a circus, a shouting match that ultimately ended in nothing of intellectual value. The Nazis stormed out in the first 5 minutes, and the leader of the Pacifica Forum was harassed for the continuing 25 minutes of so. While the Pacifica Forum member spoke (who was not a Nazi) the protesters made coordinated pointing motions with their hands that looked shockingly like Nazi salutes.

What I saw today was a horrible re-enactment of what the Nazis themselves did; silence unpopular opinion, appeal to the basest part of human nature, and ultimately a crime against free speech. I hate the Nazis, both those of Germany and the ones I saw today at the Pacifica forum, both protester and speaker.

–Nash Callaghan

P.S. When my black friend went up to speak to the forum leader afterwards a cop came up and asked him, out of everyone in the group if, “they were cool,” it was bullshit.
P.P.S. I think you guys have a great publication

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Look what you’re missing

December 10th, 2009 by D

nazistuff

I’m not even sure what to do with this one… the upper line reads “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression: this right includes freedom to hold opinions and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media…”

In compliance with that statement, I’ve blacked out the date and time for this event.

You’re welcome.

Lest We Forget… That Pat Buchanan is a Lunatic [UPDATED with new link]

September 1st, 2009 by Vincent

Today marks the anniversary of the day that Germany invaded Poland in 1939, setting off the Second World War in Europe.

The leading light of the “paleo-conservative” movement, Pat Buchanan, evidently saw fit to commemorate this day by writing an article entitled Did Hitler Want War?” [Updated link below]

The thing’s barely worth reading, and relies on a… novel understanding of history, to say the least, blaming the war on a “junta” of Polish generals and a Western plot to “punish” Hitler for Munich. Oh, and Hitler “let the British go” at Dunkirk, demonstrating his ultimately peaceful intentions. In short, this is the diary of an insane person.

Of course, jaw-dropping World War Two revisionism is nothing new for Buchanan, who’s been pimping the “Hitler was misunderstood!” line for a few years now. Who knows? Maybe Pacifica Forum will invite him and David Irving to campus for a joint lecture about the Second World War one of these days. Hell, get the “Nakba = genocide” crowd out there for support and the UO can have itself a nice little orgy of Jew-hating historical revisionism.

[UPDATE] Realclearpolitics has evidently deleted Buchanan’s article from their site. If, for whatever bizarre reason, you wish to subject yourself to “Did Hitler Want War?”, you can now find it at Antiwar.com (along with, fittingly, Stormfront, etc. — which should tell you a lot about both Pat Buchanan and the people who run “Antiwar.com”).

The Pacifica Forum Road Show

June 27th, 2009 by CJ Ciaramella

From Portland Indymedia:

On Wednesday, June 10, Valdas Anelauskas, a self-described “white separatist” who is involved with Holocaust-denial circles, gave a presentation to a group of sympathizers in Portland, Oregon. The event was sponsored by the Portland 9/11 Truth Alliance, and was initially scheduled to take place at the Laughing Horse Book & Video Collective.

Members of Rose City Antifascists (“Antifa”) —the Portland affiliate of the Anti-Racist Action Network—were among those who contacted Laughing Horse Books about the scheduled event. The Laughing Horse collective canceled the anti-Semitic event within 48 hours of being notified about its true nature. Subsequently the Portland 9/11 Truth Alliance moved Anelauskas’ talk—on the topic of “The Frankfurt School and Cultural Marxism”—to a secondary venue, which was also discovered by Antifa and then persuaded to cancel on the day of the event. Unfortunately, Anelauskas’ talk then went ahead at a third venue, a restaurant obviously booked at the last minute.

Valdas Anelauskas is a “racialist” (read: racist) activist currently based in Eugene, Oregon. This Lithuanian immigrant has assisted the World Anti-Communist League, an organization that supported Latin American death squads and has harbored former Nazi collaborators. Anelauskas is now active in the Pacifica Forum, a Eugene, Oregon organization which hosts Holocaust-denial speakers such as David Irving plus Mark Weber of the Institute for Historical Review. Anelauskas himself claims that the evidence for the Holocaust is “shaky”, that Jewish people are responsible for “Bolshevism”, and that the infamous Protocols of the Elders of Zion are credible.

Apparently Anelauskas is taking his show on the road! Well, if he thinks he’s going to get any traction in Portland, he and his little 9/11 conspiracy friends are in for a rude surprise. Portlanders don’t tolerate any hint of white-power nonsense, and I can guarantee every one of his “speaking engagements” will be disrupted by anti-fascists and/or SHARPs. (The Portland SHARP cleaned out a neo-nazi infestation in the 90’s using, shall we say, aggressive tactics.)