-------- Original Message --------
You may want to encourage others to send similar letters and begin
similar initiatives.
Ken
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [THISMACHINE2002] Miami boycott
Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2003 13:06:35 -0500
From: Ken Gould
Reply-To: THISMACHINE2002@yahoogroups.com
Organization: St. Lawrence University
To: David N. Pellow , by way of allan schnaiberg
, Timmons Roberts , Leah Carroll
, Cynthia A. Wood
, THISMACHINE2002@yahoogroups.com
November 23, 2003
Dear Mayor Diaz:
I am Professor of Sociology and Coordinator of the Caribbean and Latin
American Studies Program at St. Lawrence University. I have had occasion
to visit Miami in connection to the annual meetings of the American
Sociological Association, the Society for the Study of Social Problems,
and the Latin American Studies Association.
After receiving reports from my students who participated in peaceful,
non-violent, constitutionally protected protest against the FTAA in your
city this week I have decided to work with my professional colleagues to
institute a formal and enduring boycott of Miami, encouraging the
professional societies of which I am a member to prohibit the scheduling
of conventions in Miami.
Organizations dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge simply can't be seen
to condone the violent repression of basic constitutional and human
rights that you and your chief of police have unleashed against our
students and colleagues in Miami. Outside of Miami, Americans have the
right to freedom of speech, the right to peaceably assemble, the right
to be free of unreasonable search and seizure, the right to reasonable
bail, the right to a speedy trial, and the right to be free of cruel and
unusual punishment. There are thus numerous cities in the United States
where professional academic societies may gather and spend millions of
dollars without supporting violent attacks on a democratic citizenry.
Unless there is a formal apology from your office for the rampant police
brutality in your city, a formal investigation into police misconduct,
and a guarantee from your office that such abuses will not be permitted
again, I will propose formal boycott resolutions in all of the above
mentioned professional societies, and work toward their adoption. I will
also encourage other academic organizations to act in a similar fashion.
Sincerely,
Kenneth A. Gould
Professor of Sociology
Caribbean and Latin American Studies Coordinator
St. Lawrence University
Canton, NY 13617
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
THISMACHINE2002-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service
.