In protest of President George W. Bush speaking at commencement, several campus and community groups are planning an anti-Bush rally on campus.
Derek Wooley, executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party, said the state party wanted to put an event together to display the ills of the Bush administration.
Wooley placed College Democrats president-elect Ryan Berni in charge of organizing the event and uniting all interested groups.
“We envision [the rally to take place] before, when President Bush arrives,” Wooley said.
Wooley also said the rally is going to address educational issues students face.
Berni said the goal is to be as visible as possible as a united group to Bush and the media.
Berni said the location will be determined after he receives the permit for the event.
“It’s not a protest, its a unity rally,” Berni said. “Protest seems so hard for somebody’s graduation.”
Although Berni said it is an honor to have any standing president speak at a university’s graduation, he feels the visit is too politically motivated, since Louisiana is a major battleground for the November presidential election.
“Being that Karl Rove handpicked [LSU], it’s a political event,” Berni said. “It undermines all the years of hard work graduates put in.”
Berni said he is collaborating with Coalition for Alternatives to War, Spectrum Alliance and other progressive groups on campus.
Spectrum Alliance co-chair Rachel All said several Spectrum members will be involved with the rally.
“Bush has been pretty adamantly anti-gay,” All said. “It would be offending to me as a queer student to have [Bush] speak at my graduation.”
However, some students said that commencement is an inappropriate time for protest.
Katie Mistretta, a civil engineering freshman, said if she was graduating, she would feel honored to have the president speak.
“It’s their special graduation day; it shouldn’t be controversial,” Mistretta said. “They should respect that he is going to be the speaker and let it go.”
Some students disagree, and said anytime is an appropriate time for protest.
Brenden Craig, a graduating general studies senior, said although he does not plan on attending the ceremony, he would not be disturbed by the protest.
“I’m sure he’s going to say a few things about how well he’s doing; they should be able to say a few things about how well he’s not doing,” Craig said.
Denize McDonald, a first-year graduate student in political science, said America is a free country and graduation is an appropriate time for a protest.
“Provided that this is an academic environment, what better opportunity?” McDonald said.