Another UA student detained for using sidewalk chalk to protest

Catherine

Wed Nov 4 2009 01:30

I just got arrested for chalking a sidewalk in front of a Planned Parenthood. Even though I am a retired police officer myself, I got no professional courtesy at all. It was clear they arrested me not because of chalk on a sidewalk, but the message, and that they think anyone who expresses their opinion in public is an idiot.

Your name

Thu Oct 1 2009 20:17

this is crazy, its chalk! He defaced nothing and hurt nobody. This is the kind of acts that lead one to believe we are starting to live in a world where passive, non-violent protest is not being taken seriously.

Tufts junior

Thu Oct 1 2009 18:50

Look at the policy over at Tufts U. There, chalking is encouraged (as long as it's where rain will wash it away).

Katie

Wed Sep 30 2009 11:31

I am waiting for a group to start a "chalk walk" of some kind where everyone write on the sidewalk in protest! It's free speech and absolutely ridiculous that anyone was every arrested for this sort of protest.

ChalkorI'llthrowmykeys

Tue Sep 29 2009 15:33

perhaps national attention is what we need if the current leadership can't be bothered to move on its own maybe .... just maybe the appearance of a thousand reporters all chomping at the bit to expose their failings will motivate them to lead us in a better direction!

Vet of former campus revolts

Mon Sep 28 2009 23:36

Leaders lead by being out in the front on issues of significance, not cowering to react until after others force their hands. Free speech is what a university IS!

Anyone who has to wait four days to grudgingly concede the importance of intellectual expression has demonstrated his failure to lead. The faculty vote (mostly taken before the outrageous UAPD action and the President's belated, inept reaction) makes it blatantly evident that regime change is needed here. It's been obvious for months that the current occupant of the Provost post needed to be replaced with someone the faculty and leadership of campus colleges and departments can trust and have respect for. And Shelton has waited far too long to do what was obvious on that front. The faculty poll embarrassment to him could have been avoided if he had made the right call on that -- the key position on his regime team.

It's wonderful that grad students and now undergrads are getting a clue what's been going down here for years. The good news is that all constituencies on this sleepy campus are finally getting mobilized. Let's hang together during tough times as a community of scholars. A university isn't all about budgets. And it is all about actively ENCOURAGING new ideas to bubble up and foment and ferment. Instead of posting whiney emails and Op Ed pieces in the AZ Daily Star, wouldn't it be great if we had leaders who knew how to walk the chalk?

Sick of the BS

Mon Sep 28 2009 23:14

THANK YOU GOD!, someone finally made sense. The UofA IS a public institution and is public land. PS... if it washes away or scrapes away with normal traffic, it's not destruction people.

Another vote of no confidence

Mon Sep 28 2009 23:07

This is no confidence vote number four in two years. Can't this man and his cronies tell when they're running this University into the ground?!
PS: The U of A is NOT private property--it is a PUBLIC University and it belongs to the people of the state of Arizona. We pay for it through our tax dollars, and it exists for OUR benefit.

Charges dropped.

Mon Sep 28 2009 20:24

Finally! The charges are dropped. Took, what, four days and a second arrest...and a vote of no confidence.

fooled

Mon Sep 28 2009 18:59

i chose this "chalk police" university over washington?
guess we all make mistakes.

Idea!

Mon Sep 28 2009 17:59

I'm thinking about attaching a piece of chalk under my skateboard and just making lines all over campus...

moronic

Mon Sep 28 2009 17:58

This is chalk. This is your student on chalk. Protest the administration? Do Jail time. Get the picture?

human being

Mon Sep 28 2009 17:49

THIS GUY IS MY HERO!
I used chalk outside my res hall to promote an activity.
so come arrest me, UAPD!

Speaking freely thanks to those who defend our rights and freedoms...

Mon Sep 28 2009 17:07

To those of you who believe that discussion on this is a waste of time...

It is called America people. We live here because we can have opinions that differ from the norm. Stop defending those who would oppress someone's right to speak their mind. The fact is that chalk washes away with a little water and agitation. Do you think the UAs handling of this situation will wash from people's minds as easily?

Frustrated and Irritated

Mon Sep 28 2009 17:00

The problem here is that if you consider ONE STUDENT writing on the sidewalk with sidwalk chalk to be an act of destruction and vandalism, you MUST consider ALL such acts in the same manner. Students write on UA sidewalks all the time to advertise Greek Society events, Science club events, street fairs and so on. None of THOSE students has ever been arrested and/or cited for their activities. The fact is that UAPD is not opposed to the act, but to the message. This is ridiculous and a complete waste of our tuition dollars! Why has Administration not addressed this already?!

PS - You think you saw chalk before...

Huh

Mon Sep 28 2009 16:47

although i dont think the sanctions are remotely appropriate for mere chalk on the sidewalk, you guys gotta understand that the UofA is private property... if some kid came to my house and wrote crap all of my driveway, i'd be pissed because that's MY driveway. ya, freakin, "maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $2,500 fine." is ridiculous, but don't be naive and say that people should be allowed to write chalk on anything they want...

anonymouse

Mon Sep 28 2009 16:37

isn't chalk pretty much limestone, a basic ingredient of concrete?
does chalk really cause destruction of concrete?

there is a LOT of gum on walkways around campus which requires special removal also.
logically shouldn't people who spit out their gum be arrested also?
if only the criminal fees could be used to address the university budget crisis....

Irritated about Irritated

Mon Sep 28 2009 16:28

Irritated,

I would be shocked if the President didn't hear about the arrest of Jacob Miller. But then, there is no excuse that the whole weekend went by and nothing was said or done about that arrest. It was a protest against the budget cuts we are all feeling here. Come on. Now there is a second arrest and this time, it appears, without evidence that the student wrote on anything vertical. Not sure there was evidenced that Miller wrote on anything vertical either.

It LOOKS like harassment to a LOT of people. It comes at a very poor time...at a time when the President is being looked at carefully for how he manages the campus and for his communication.

So be irritated all you want. The lack of managment of this issue is leading to a spiral. And it could be stopped if the President will simply interrupt our day with a statement.

This hit the Star today too. We are starting to look like Morons. I bet this goes national.

chalkweaponofmassdistraction

Mon Sep 28 2009 16:18

See chalk, call police

chalknasty

Mon Sep 28 2009 16:17

remember though, irritated, that a lot of protest speech is for others and to raise issues and awareness. it is not just for shelton, nor is it actually anticipated that he will in fact respond. that is a very naive view of protest... i highly doubt he hasn't heard about this. shoot, I was in rural mexico last week and i know about it.