Not all RNC protesters supporters of Obama

Dear Editor,

Ted Hamilton’s article on the Republican Convention demonstrations (“Obama ought to watch the company he keeps”) Friday shows some of the most insane logic I have yet seen on the Forum. He insinuates that because the demonstrators were only disrupting the Republican convention they must automatically be Obama supporters. Mr. Hamilton conveniently ignores the fact that demonstrators were in fact arrested near where Sen. Obama was staying (which makes sense considering the threats on his life). He is also totally ignorant of the fact that the far-left dislikes both parties.

The most offensive part of the article is the part where he insists on guilt by association. Now, I do not deny that some unsavory characters will vote for Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain. I would, however, encourage Mr. Hamilton to consider where this logic leads to. He has called himself a libertarian and a Ron Paul supporter. Shall I project onto Mr. Hamilton the sins of his fellow opponents of “big government?” Shall I assume he is a bigot because of the racist, anti-Semitic, and homophobic newsletters written by Rep. Ron Paul and because his campaign staff included Ku Klux Klan members? Shall I call him a violent sociopath because he may share the anti-government views of Timothy McVeigh? Shall I call him a crazy conspiracy theorist because some in the “9/11 Truth” movement also back libertarianism?

I assure Mr. Hamilton that I shall not. I hope he will return the favor and not assume that Sen. Obama and his supporters agree with the Rev. Wright, spoiled protesters or the Weathermen.

Ian Grogan, senior paralegal studies major

RNC protester arrests taste of what’s to come

Dear Editor,

In the most recent “Cheers & Jeers” section, the Stater editorial board awarded “jeers” to the overwhelming amount of people who were arrested at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. What the board left out is the heinous acts of police brutality the St. Paul police department have committed against those placed under arrest. Not only are prisoners being denied essential medications and medical treatment, but many are being held past Minnesota’s 36-hour limit on detentions without formal charges.

Many of those arrested, especially transsexual prisoners, are not being allowed to make phone calls or meet with lawyers. If that weren’t enough, numerous journalists from state colleges such as the University of Kentucky, up to independent news source “Democracy Now!” host Amy Goodman, DN! Producers and a photographer from the Associated Press have been arrested. The rights to freedom of speech, freedom of press and free assembly have been trampled with the use of excessive force, rubber bullets and tear gas, all courtesy of the St. Paul Police Department.

History has shown us, as demonstrated by the war in Vietnam, that a strong anti-war movement, not a certain political candidate, will bring an end to imperialism and occupation. A vote for Barack Obama will not end the war. Only raising our voices and taking to the streets will do so. In fact, Obama hopes to increase military spending on weapons programs, expand the military by 92,000 new troops and has urged phased combat troop redeployment with an increase in troop mercenary companies such as Blackwater. Those arrested at the RNC this past week have shown a bravery and courage that must be illustrated throughout our campus. Until we as students and workers collectively join together to end the occupation of Iraq, we should expect more arrests, illegal detentions and a new forming of a police state in the US.

Jacquelyn Bleak, senior political science major, applied conflict management minor and member of the KSU International Socialist Organization.