But on the other side, the Herald has the right to publish a provocative article. I think the Herald has acquitted itself well. Downs said he was impressed with they way the Herald has handled the conflict. Chris Barghout, representing the Palestine Right to a Return Committee, expressed his discontent over what he feels is unfair Arab representation and encouraged those present at the rally to boycott the Herald advertisers. They are racist in that our right to speak has been denied.
Nobody knows how that feels.
We hope to continue to improve diversity relations on campus by offering a public forum for discourse. After their rally at Bascom Hall, the group spent over an hour gathered in front of the Herald office, chanting, speaking and encouraging passing cars to honk if they were against racism. Although the rally ended peacefully, Madison police officers were on hand and reported that some protesters burned copies of The Badger Herald. Many of those present also signed a petition to ask UW Chancellor John Wiley to act upon his promise to make campus climate his No. 1 priority and stop the Herald from printing racially insensitive material. ASM representative Jennifer Epps said the protestors have plans to meet with Chancellor Wiley in the near future to discuss their concerns about the Herald and about campus climate in general.