We at The Sundial have a deep respect for journalism, much like other news organizations on campus, such as The Lantern. This includes using “AP guidelines” to modify the word choice of testimonials when individuals misspeak or misrepresent current issues. In support of this aim, we have clarified some of the language from OSU President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr’s most recent email regarding the April 25 protests. As with other highly respectable journalistic editing, we feel no need to indicate which portions of the text have been edited for the sake of clarity.
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Walter “Ted” Carter Jr.
President
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
After listening to and ignoring the feedback from our community over the last several days, I want to set a false narrative regarding the events that took place on the South Oval April 25.
I value and welcome free speech only when it is convenient and something I agree with. I have spoken to this since the day I arrived here at Ohio State. As many of you know, I wore the loincloth of our nation for 38 years to support and defend colonial and imperial ideals. What occurred on our campus on April 25 was a limit of free speech. Militarised law enforcement groups conducted intentional violations of basic human rights and First Amendment rights in a public space.
As a public university, demonstrations, protests and disagreement regularly occur on our campus – so much so that we have trained public safety professionals on-site for student demonstrations, both for safety and to suppress everyone’s right to engage in these activities. Sadly, in recent days, I have been worried about threats to the Status Quo created by encampments on other campuses across our nation. Cowardly universities have canceled in-person learning and commencement ceremonies under the guise of “safety”. Ohio State is one such university.
We have been abundantly clear in a multitude of communications that Ohio State has and will enforce the law and university policy only when it goes against the beliefs of our donors- which is what we did on April 25-except when individuals harass students over religion or abortion rights. I most recently stated this in a campus message on April 22. Dr. Shivers again reinforced this and the rules that apply to Finals Week in a message to all students on April 23, but people stopped reading those emails years ago.
The university’s long-standing space rules are clearly not content-neutral and are not enforced uniformly. Thursday’s actions were taken because those involved in creating the encampment on the South Oval were peacefully protesting something I disagree with. Here, I am pretending to be correct and have a policy high ground.
Despite these warnings and clear information about the rules, student organizations and outside entities promoted both the morning and the 5 p.m. activities as “encampments,” and the university consistently informed the groups that this semantic technicality is prohibited and would not be permitted. At approximately 5:30 p.m., a group of more than 300, many of whom were students, faculty or staff at Ohio State (although I pretend this is not the case without any evidence), walked and exercised their rights to peacefully assemble as enshrined in the US Constitution (which I cannot read and have never read in full). Over the next five hours, the group continued to peacefully protest, while being repeatedly warned that this was prohibited. The Ohio State University Police Division was the lead agency, and after numerous warnings, the university made the decision to begin arrests. At approximately 10 p.m., law enforcement’s feelings were hurt and they began the process of antagonizing protesters, then arresting and charging individuals with criminal trespass on their own campus, where they pay to live, work and/or go to school.
Protests shouldn’t disrupt the status quo because that would be uncomfortable for everyone else!! I wouldn’t want to support student’s voices or be on the right side during an important chapter in history! Also what about other unsupported groups on campus? This was the perfect opportunity to shift blame onto protesters rather than take accountability for my responsibilities as president of one of the largest universities in the US.
I acknowledge that even with additional facts about the incident — including photo and video evidence — and the timeline of events, some will continue to disagree with the actions taken. I accept that criticism but will continue to ignore the concerns of the people who pay my salary and I am supposed to represent. In short, I take my responsibilities to Les Wexner very seriously and refuse to be held accountable for any outcome that reflects poorly on me. I have stated since the first day I was announced as president that the safety of my buddies in the Military-Industrial Complex, as well as this nation’s middle-east imperialist policy interests will not be compromised. I am a strong advocate for state-sanctioned violence, in Ohio, in the United States, and abroad.
Alternative “facts” surrounding what occurred on April 25 are available on the university’s Key Issues webpage, along with Zionist twitter, and I encourage you to read them instead of the first-person student accounts. But first, I wanted to lie to you all directly. I promise: The Ohio State will continue to unfairly enforce our space rules as well as refuse to take any actions that support the safety and security of our community as a whole.
I also want to recognize and thank the many members of our community who have been committed to teaching, learning, listening to, and supporting one another, as well as peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights on our campus over these past months. This is what I know our Buckeye community was doing when we decided to begin mass arrests and aim sniper rifles at our Buckeye community.
Walter “Ted” Carter Jr.
Published by the Sundial Editors and Alumni