1992_05 The Daily Collegian May 1992

              The Daily Collegian
Volume XCVIH
Issue No. 64
CSU, Fresno's Only Independent News Source
Friday
May 1,1992
^
Students protest LAPD verdict
Michelle Martin
Editor in chief
Beatings, lynchings, hate groups—this
is reality....
TherewUlbepeacewhenthereisjustke....
The signs were hastily made, hand-
lettered on pieces of cardboard and
paper. A few dozen people held them in
the air in the free speech area yesterday;
a couple hundred others stood by in the
sun, listening to the speakers who stood
in line for a turn at the podium.
To serve and protect who?
The rally in the free speech area was
organized literally overnight, as word
spread of the acquittal of four L.A.P.D.
officers in the Rodney King beating trial.
The outcome of the trial sparked
feelings of rage, fear and solidarity in
African American communities as
predominantly black and. Hispanic
South Central Los Angeles reacted to
the verdict by rioting, starting numerous
fires, and. in some cases, beating and
killing.
To be black in Amerikkka is to balnea
constant state of rage. )
"We just started a phone line,
basically word of mouth," said rally
organizer Shawnna Douglas.
It's going very well. I'm glad there's
so many speakers expressing their
feelings, venting anger, giving
knowledge."
She said her sorority, Delta Sigma
Jheta, is planning to mobilize black
student unions'at the high school level
to rally, ami possibly travel to Los
Angeles to assist riot victims.
Earlier, Douglas told the crowd, "I
wore black today. It symbolizes death.
The death of our complacency..."
It can happen to you.
"I don't think too many people have
faith in the system," Ralph Avitia told
the crowd. He said a revolution was
occurring.
"Not even Jesse Jackson is saying
XUdri down,'" he said. #
Justice or Just us?
Much of t h e co m men t centered on racism
in the United States legal system and the
politics of the trial's outcome.
Avitia pointed out that the jury was all-
white.
"How about trying it in Compton?" he
asked.
Democratic congresswoman Maxine
Waters, in whose district the riots are
occurring, said on Nightline Wednesday
that Simi Valley, where the trial was held, is
populated largely by police officers.
Fuck the LA.P.D.
Other common themes discussed at the
rally were unity in the African American
community and among all who opposed
the trial's outcome, economics and police
precedents.
I "It wasn't just a racial thing, it had a lot
to do with economics," said speaker Ca*rlos
Hannon.
"Like Martin Luther King used to say,
It's not my bodily harm I'm worried about,
it's the issue. It's tomorrow."'
The crowd at times chanted, "No justice,
no peace!"
"This is not just a color issue," said Scott
Walker. "This is an issue of justice, whatever
that might be."
Black robes, white justice.
Discussion at times turned to the
ongoing violence in Los Angeles—whether
it was the right reaction, why if was
centered in African Americans' own
neighborhoods.
"iWhy are we tearing up our owh
communities?'" asked Walker. "Those
aren't our communities. Those are prisons
we have been put into. \
"There is nothing sacred about the U.S.
There is nothing sacred about the ghetto
and there is nothing t ha t sa y s we can't tear
it down."
By any means necessary.
"There are other communities that
should be targeted for destruction,'* said
Krissy Strode.
See PROTEST page 4
Brtan Davtoa/Tb* Dairy CoSaglan
CSUF Senior Stacey Green protests the LAPD officers' verdict during a
noontIme rally yesterday.
V
Voter registration drive targets students
Manny Fernandez
Staffwriter
j Daren Hess, a business finance
junior, stood in the Free Speech
Area across from the Country
Store trying to find the words to
explain why college students don't
vote.
"It's not • high, in thejr
priorities,'* hesaid. "It's important
but trjey just...! don't know."
Hess's feelings are no different
than thoseof the rest of the state-
confusion and bewilderment as
to why only one-third of 18-24
year olds are registered to vote in
California. Of that third, only one-
fifth i actually vote in non-
presidential elections.
These statistics are what moved
The League of Women Voters of
Fresno and . snack-food
manufacturer Cornnuts into
holding a "Make Some Noise"
voter registration drive
Wednesday and Thursday.
The "Make Some Noise" drive
also asked students to fill out a
survey on what issues they think
are most important and how. well
they feel the candidates are serving
the issues that matter to them. *
Gina Hill, President of the
League of Women Voters of
Fresno, said the registration drive
calls for students to use their voice
arid take back the system.
"College students are so busy
that maybe they think they don't
matter, but we think they do very
much," she said.
The "Make Some Noise" voter
registration drive will go to two
more college campuses in
Northern and Southern California.
The two day, event registered
more than 100 students, and 300
more filled out the survey.
Karen Tusting, a Cornnuts
consumer promotions manager,
said the free bags of Cornnuts that
were handed out are the hook to
get students' attention, but the
goal.of the event is to register
.students.
"To make a difference, you
have to get involved," Tusting
See VOTE page 4