Outrageous response by chancellor
The following is a copy of a letter to UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi:
I was forwarded your letter to the UC Davis campus community, included below. Your response is inadequate and deceptive.
You state, “We are saddened to report that during this activity, 10 protesters were arrested and pepper spray was used.” The passive voice does not protect the perpetrators: the police pepper-sprayed people who were sitting and who posed no threat to them. Nor were all the targets of this police brutality arrested, which shows that the pepper spraying was not solely, as you state, “to facilitate their removal.”
Further, you express concerns about the health and safety of the students. Pepper-spraying someone at close range does not evidence concern about that person’s health and safety. In fact, it is a serious endangerment to that person’s health and safety.
Finally, as shown in the video of the event, the police pointed their weapons at people who were not armed, who were not threatening them, and who were not throwing objects at the police or attacking them in any way. Pointing a loaded, lethal — or even “less lethal” — weapon at an unarmed, peaceful person is dangerous and an outrage.
I am sure that many others will not be deceived by your response. Your response is nothing short of outrageous.
Susan Bassein
Davis
Short URL: http://www.davisenterprise.com/?p=106769
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Posted by Letters to the Editor
on Nov 19 2011.
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Kudos to the police. These students are spoiled rich kids who feels they can do whatever they want. If you so much hate Corporations, throw away all those cell phones, turn in your credit cards to the “Evil Banks”, dispose of your computer. I applaud the UCD Police for doing what was necessary to get these vermen out of the way. I will gladly donate to any cause the UCD/Davis PD is working for. Down with the ACLU (a Racist Organization against Whites).
Ellie, I a can only suspect by your last name that you are of Hispanic descent or married into it. One of the reasons people come to this country is for freedom, freedom that is not afforded them in other countries. Turn your repulsive, ignorant statement back on yourself. This is part of everyone’s constitutional right and cops are not allowed to play bully because they can. To make a judgment about kids in college being spoiled and rich is like calling an Hispanic person a prejudicial slur. Both are ignorant and devoid of all factual knowledge. Don’t become the bully yourself.
Ria,
Illegally amping in a public place and usurping the use of that area at the expense of thousands of other tuition-paying students is not part of our constitutional freedom of expression.
@Ellie Garcia: you sound just like my friend Rosie Vasquez! I love your salt of the earth indignance ! However many of the students are not at all rich. They are there at University because they worked hard, got the grades, and they are supporting themselves with grants, scholarships and loans–and probably a job or two on the side. These students are the salt of the earth, just like you! And, pepper spray was not “necessary” to get those ten students out of the way. Everyone knows that! Even you I bet.
Sad to see the lynch mob mentality before any investigation has even been conducted.
@Elli Garcia: I agree with you! White Power! Down with the chancellor! Hail Hitler! Hail Lt. Pike! Let’s pepper spray more kids! Why stop there, bring out the tasers, heck lets just shoot the darn kids! I mean what use is getting a fancy degree! I don’t have one and I’m not working collecting unemployment checks and laughing my pants off at these kids getting sprayed in the face! I’m totally with you Elli Garcia! Let’s “Donate to the UC Davis/PD” all of that “money” we have!
I also think they should make pepper spray a vegetable! What say you Elli Garcia!