Protesters hoped for positive words from Shabazz

Dozens of protesters stood together late Thursday afternoon through snow and brisk wind as… Dozens of protesters stood together late Thursday afternoon through snow and brisk wind as they voiced their opinions in a declaration of unity.

The group assembled to hear a handful of speakers outside Doherty Hall on Carnegie Mellon’s campus, protesting a speech by Malik Shabazz, the leader of the New Black Panther party.

“Inviting the New Black Panther party to this campus is like inviting the Klan,” said Bettysue Feuer, the regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, an active Jewish rights group.

“We’re here to promote a message of unity,” said Elena Averbakh, president of the Hillel Jewish Center at Carnegie Mellon University. “We hope [Shabazz] talks about unity for all minorities, and I hope today’s speech will empower all of the minorities on campus.”

The speakers came from varied backgrounds, but their messages were alike: Accept diversity, promote empathy, and dispel hate. The protest, which lasted about 30 minutes, also encouraged tolerance and respect.

“One of the most important focuses is understanding diversity,” said Lauren DeVito, a student at Carnegie Mellon. “You have to challenge your beliefs.”

Many of the speakers were students from Carnegie Mellon, but several representatives from local activist groups spoke their minds.

Tim Vining, from the Thomas Merton Center, encouraged the crowd to keep faith by accepting those different from them rather than discriminating against them.

“Hate knows no color, religion or sexual orientation,” he said. “Let’s take the highest moral ground. That’s the way to win. Why bring hate and anger to this campus?”

Jeffrey Cohan, director of community and public affairs for the United Jewish Federation, directly the presence of Shabazz on campus.

“This is not a freedom of speech issue,” he said. “A college campus is not an appropriate place for a lecture of hatemongers.”

Even after the final speaker stepped down from the microphone, students and activists alike congregated in clusters and further expressed their opinions with each other. Many talked about the importance of supporting such a rally, while others continued discussing issues of unity and encouragement.

“I’m here to support the students,” Bettysue Feuer said with a wide smile. “Their message is an important one, one that counters hate.”

“[Shabazz’s] message is one of hate,” she continued, “and when people don’t speak out against hate, it flourishes.”