IU student arrests, importance of campus safety

Dear labor activists and IU community,

It is completely disheartening to see the arrest of five IU students Tuesday night at the Kelley School of Business.

As the facts of the incident become clearer in the coming days, one thing is certain: The University environment should be a safe place for students and staff to peacefully protest and demonstrate about issues relevant to our community and nation.

These students felt compassionate enough to stand up and be heard on issues that impact the 99 percent of our society.

As the Occupy Movement grows, I am reminded of the working class at IU. We are often forgotten and marginalized by those at the top who seek large sums of compensation while many of us on campus are forced to seek second or third jobs to pay our bills. The national fight for the middle class and Main Street is now on our doorstep at IU.

We can either choose to let these concerns go unnoticed, or we can stand up and be heard. I only ask we treat all of our University community ­— staff, students and faculty ­—  with the respect to provide those who choose to demonstrate with a safeenvironment to do so without fear of arrest or intimidation.

I am proud of our local union and the ideals we stand for as a community. I am also personally proud of the students on this campus who choose to be involved in critical discourse. It is my hope we can all stand together in solidarity and make a positive difference in the lives for all Americans.

­— Bryce Smedley, CWA 4730 Union President