Intolerance and Bigotry Alive and Well

Just got word that this will be happening at UT-Austin. Then I read more about it on the Daily Texican. I am so saddened and angered by this. Even though Brownsville is my true home...Austin was my 2nd home for 5 years and I still feel very close to it in heart. My university... I am very proud of my university but I am disgusted at the thought that I walked among such ignorant people who are willing to dehumanize people! How could the University allow for this happen?

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"Immigrant Hunt," this Wednesday, March 2nd on the
West Mall.

The YCT (Young Conservatives of Texas) have organized
an "Immigrant Hunt" for this Wednesday, March 2nd on
the West Mall on campus-- they have reserved the space
from 11:00am-1:00pm.

They recently organized a similar event at the
University of North Texas
http://www.yct.org/illegal.htm

This time around they plan to wear color-coded
anti-immigrant shirts and "hunt for immigrants" who
will be YCT-ers dressed in brown for Latina/os, yellow
for Asians, etc. and offer rewards.

A counter-demonstration is planned by a multi-ethnic
coalition of student organizations in response at the
same time. Folks are asking for a huge turnout, and
that people wear black shirts and white bandanas if
possible, and bring signs and chants-- some folks will
be linking hands in silent protest, others will be
vocal and hold signs and pass out flyers outlining a
progressive position on immigration.

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If you are in the Austin Metro Area, please participate in the counter-demonstartions. The blog Terribly Happy reported that the YCT demonstartion may be a hoax..but even if it turns out to be a hoax...we should all show up to show our stand against intolerance and bigotry. This is truly a time for the might of soul force. It is also Texas Independence Day tommorrow and I am sure it will be an interesting day on campus by the West Mall.

UPDATE

I have been googling to see what happened and this is the best update I could find, which states that about 500-600 people showed up for a counter protest. Wow! If that's is true I am so glad to know that such a high number of people showed up to voice their concern. UT may house a few bigots...like I am sure all schools do...but I am so glad there are a greater number who oppose bigotry. I am glad the better people there acted so proactively and for that I am proud that I went to UT-Austin.

p.s.

Before I stated that I could not believe that UT would allow for the immigrant hunt to be held...which did not happen after all...but I can also understand how the University must respect students' freedom of speech...for God sake's people were trading bibles for porn and sititng on a golden toilet a few years back...but still..sitting on a golden toilet passing out bibles for porn is a more civilized act than dehumanizing people.