Spurred by the recent acquittal of four New York policemen responsible for the death of Amadou Diallo, students assembled in Firestone Plaza yesterday afternoon and addressed issues of inequality and prejudice on campus.
Attracting a crowd that ranged from 25 to 50 during a several-hour period, speakers at the rally called for renewed efforts to help members of the University community transcend racial boundaries and to advocate equitable treatment of minority groups.
Participants said they were frustrated with the apathetic approach their classmates and the administration take toward racial inequality at the University. "There's too much complacency," said Jessica Walker '01, who helped organize the rally. "There's a lack of anger."
Ashley Adams '02 expressed similar sentiments, noting that society's true leaders work to improve the lives of others. "Your life should be a struggle," she said, adding that one cannot fulfill the University's philosophy of "working in the nation's service" if one concentrates only on individual advancement.
Gordon Hallman '02 commented on the effect student apathy has on efforts for change. "Many students are oblivious to the actual issues," he said. "We have to increase [our numbers] exponentially for anything to occur."
The relatively small turnout for the event was a prime indicator of such campus apathy, Walker said. "I'm even more disillusioned now," she said.
Hallman, however, speculated that many students may have been preoccupied with midterms and that the event may not have been publicized adequately.
Protesters echoed the sentiment that apathy can be combated. Students at the rally suggested organizing more forums and conducting a dialogue with the University trustees to increase awareness of minority issues.
Hallman said University students have an obligation to address the controversial issue of inequality. "We are the elite. We have a responsibility for greater change," he said. Walker said the rally was a way for concerned students to address an issue that directly affects students on campus. "There really is a difference to be made, and we might be the people to make that difference," she said.
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