Subject: student activists

From: Brian Bogart <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2006 17:30:15 -0800

Future lawyers to be proud of
    ... and Alberto Gonzales.

On January 24, 2006, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales spoke at  
Georgetown University's law school and attempted to defend the  
Administration's position that warrantless wiretaps authorized by  
President Bush do not violate the Constitution or federal law

At 10:30 a.m. Gonzales entered the room and Dean T. Alexander  
Aleinikoff introduced him. While people were applauding and Gonzales  
took the podium, two women in the second row got up and turned their  
backs on Gonzales. Both women had the words "Tap This!" on their  
butts, and one had a "I (heart) the Bill of Rights" sign stuck to her  
back. The words could be read from the stage, so Gonzales got the  
message.

￼

Gonzales began speaking. As he spoke, other students stood and turned  
their backs. Then a group in the back row stood up with black hoods  
on and held the banner with "Those who would sacrifice liberty for  
security deserve neither" up to the cameras. It was beautiful.

￼

Every few minutes more students stood and turned their backs,  
including some who had not known any protest would be taking place,  
but chose to stand in solidarity with us and to stand up against  
Gonzales. It was strong and beautiful resistance. Over 30 students  
stood and turned their backs on Gonzales as he tried to justify  
spying on Americans.

Several students walked out on him before the end of his speech.

During the panel discussion after the speech, Georgetown University  
Law Professor David Cole said,
"When you're a law student, they tell you if say that if you can't  
argue the law, argue the facts. They also tell you if you can't argue  
the facts, argue the law. If you can't argue either, apparently, the  
solution is to go on a public relations offensive and make it a  
political issue... to say over and over again "it's lawful", and to  
think that the American people will somehow come to believe this if  
we say it often enough.

In light of this, I'm proud of the very civil civil disobedience that  
was shown here today."

All in all, it was a good day for dissent.

The organizers of the event are putting together a website ( http:// 
standupforthelaw.org/ ) where they're hoping to build a grassroots  
coalition of law students, professors, and citizens to counter the  
Administration's campaign of empty legal claims.