#2666 Good evening, Rollins. Allow me first to apologize for this interruption. I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of everyday routine—the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition. I enjoy them as much as any bloke. But in the spirit of commemoration, thereby those important events of the past usually associated with someones death or the end of some awful bloody struggle are celebrated with a nice holiday, I thought we could mark this November the 5th, a day that is sadly no longer remembered, by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat. There are, of course, those who do not want us to speak. I suspect even now, orders are being typed into computers, and authorities with written warnings will soon be on their way. Why? Because while the threat of suspension may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this college, isnt there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Whos to blame? Well, certainly, there are those who are more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable. But again, truth be told, if youre looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldnt be? Assignments, Examinations, Extra-credit Homework!! There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. Fear got the best of you, and in your panic you turned to President Duncan and his team. They promised you order, they promised you peace, and all they demanded in return was your silent, obedient consent. On Halloween night, I sought to end that silence. That night, I wanted to remind this college of what it has forgotten. More than four hundred years ago, a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice, and freedom are more than words—they are perspectives. So if youve seen nothing, if the injustices of this college remain unknown to you, then I would suggest that you allow the fifth of November to pass unmarked. But if you see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek, then I ask you to stand beside me openly. Object to what you do not accept. Speak what youre dying to say everyday. Let your elected earn their place by demanding their aid. Live how you want!! And together we shall give them a fifth of November that shall never, ever be forgot.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 08:31:52 +0000
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