MAY 25, 2014
JOLLENE LEVID, AF3IRM NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON
323-356-4748
AF3IRM CONDEMNS NEGLECT OF WOMEN’S SAFETY ON CAMPUSES, DEMANDS VAW-FREE CAMPUSES.
NATIONAL: EVEN AS AF3IRM SENDS ITS DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SANTA BARBARA MASSACRE VICTIMS, THEIR FAMILIES, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITIES, WE AS AN ORGANIZATION OF TRANSNATIONAL WOMEN VIEW THE MURDEROUS RAMPAGE OF ELLIOT RODGERS AS BUT SYMPTOMATIC OF THE CONTINUING ACCEPTANCE AND TOLERANCE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ENDEMIC IN THE COUNTRY’S CAMPUSES. WE VIEW THIS TOLERANCE OF VAW IN SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AS A VIOLATION OF WOMEN’S HUMAN RIGHTS TO AN EDUCATION, SAFETY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.
RODGERS, SON OF AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN THE FILM “HUNGER GAMES,” GUNNED DOWN AT LEAST SEVEN PEOPLE AND WOUNDED SCORES MORE ON MAY 24, 2014 – AN ACT OF MADNESS WHICH HAD BEEN FORETOLD BY HIS OWN INTERNET POSTINGS AND RANTS, WHICH WERE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE LOCAL POLICE.
AS STUDENTS, ALUMNI, EMPLOYEES, AND ACTIVISTS WITHIN THE UC SYSTEM, AF3IRM CONDEMNS YET AGAIN, THE OUTRIGHT DISREGARD FOR WOMEN’S SAFETY, INTEGRITY, AND DIGNITY IN THE STATEWIDE COLLEGIATE SYSTEM. WE ARE SADLY NOT SURPRISED THAT POLICE REFUSED TO RESPOND TO ELLIOT RODGERS, WHO EVEN SENT A 140-PAGE TESTIMONY DETAILING HIS PLAN TO MASSACRE UC SANTA BARBRA WOMEN TO THEIR STATION. THE DISREGARD FOR WOMEN’S LIVES IS REFLECTIVE OF A BROKEN, WOMAN-HATING SYSTEM. THE MADNESS OF MISOGYNY ENGRAINED IN KILLER ELLIOT RODGERS WAS SUPPORTED BY THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM THE STUDENT VICTIMS ATTENDED.
THE UC SYSTEM IS SET UP TO DISREGARD WOMEN’S LIVES AND ENCOURAGE SEXUAL VIOLENCE. IT IS NO COINCIDENCE THAT TWO OF THE MOST DANGEROUS COLLEGES IN THE COUNTRY FOR WOMEN ARE UC CAMPUSES (UCLA, UC BERKELEY). IT IS NO COINCIDENCE THAT THE UC SYSTEM’S POLICIES TO ADDRESS RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT FAVOR THE SUSPECTS – PROCESSING THEM IN THE SAME CASUAL MANNER AS THOSE WHO CHEAT ON EXAMS, LEAVING VICTIMS WAITING IN FEAR AND NEVER SEEING JUSTICE. JUST TWO MONTHS AGO, BRUTAL GANG RAPES OF A YOUNG COLLEGE STUDENT AT UC SANTA BARBARA WERE REPORTED WITH THE PERPETRATORS NEVER CAUGHT. THE REALITY IS THAT THE UC SYSTEM IS A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR CORPORATION THAT HAS NEVER PRIORITIZED WOMEN, AND THOSE THAT COME FORWARD TO RESIST THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN TAUGHT IN ITS CONSERVATIVE CLASSROOMS ARE A THREAT TO THE PROFITS AND CREDIBILITY OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.
WE NOTE THAT THE INTENSIFICATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ON CAMPUSES COINCIDES WITH THE SLOW-MOTION DEMISE, THROUGH THE DECADES, OF WOMEN’S STUDIES PROGRAMS AND WOMEN’S CENTERS; THE TRANSFORMATION OF PROGRAMS WHICH CENTERED ON ADDRESSING CONDITIONS OF OPPRESSION OF WOMEN INTO GENERIC “GENDER” STUDIES WHICH CREATE THE IMPRESSION, INTENTIONALLY OR UNINTENTIONALLY, THAT THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IS BUT AN INSIGNIFICANT PART OF VIOLENCE AGAINST ALL, IRRESPECTIVE OF CLASS, RACE, SEXUALITY, ABILITY, AND SEX.
THE TRUTH IS THIS OFTEN-REPEATED THOUGHT: THAT THE SINGULAR MOST WIDESPREAD PANDEMIC OF VIOLENCE AND VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ON A DAILY BASIS IS DIRECTED TOWARDS THOSE WHO ARE WOMEN AND WOMEN-IDENTIFIED.
WE IN AF3IRM REMAIN COMMITTED TO MASS RESISTANCE WITHIN AND AGAINST THE UC SYSTEM. OUR CHAPTERS, WHOSE PRESENCE ARE FELT AT UC BERKELEY, UC LOS ANGELES, UC IRVINE, UC SAN DIEGO, UC SANTA CRUZ, UC DAVIS, AND WILL NOW TOUCH UC SANTA BARBARA, — WILL CONTINUE OUR DECADES OF ACTIVISM ACROSS THE STATE. OUR MEMBERSHIP OF TRANSNATIONAL WOMEN OF COLOR HAVE HAD HISTORIES OF STRUGGLE IN THE ETHNIC STUDIES, BROWN POWER, PILIPINO STUDIES, COUNTLESS ANTI-WAR, DIVESTMENT, IMMIGRANT RIGHTS AND LABOR MOVEMENTS ON THE CAMPUS. OUR LAST VICTORY WAS THE REMOVAL OF SEXUAL BATTERER UC STUDENT REGENT JESSE CHANG FROM POWER IN AF3IRM’S JUSTICE FOR LAYA CAMPAIGN. WE HAVE ALWAYS BROUGHT THE WOMEN’S VOICE TO STUDENT AND UC WORKER STRUGGLES AND ARE RENEWING OUR COMMITMENT AND RESISTANCE TO THE PATRIARCHAL SYSTEM. AND WE ARE RELENTLESS IN OUR DEMANDS.
AF3IRM KNOWS THAT THE NRA ISN’T THE ONLY PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING A GUN IN ELLIOT RODGERS HANDS – WE ALSO CONDEMN THE INACTION OF THE SANTA BARBARA POLICE AND THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM THAT ENCOURAGES VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN. ALL ARE CULPABLE. ALL MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. WE STAND WITH THE VICTIMS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEIR COMMUNITIES IN CALLING FOR GENUINE JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS – 1) FOR ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE NRA, SANTA BARBARA POLICE, AND UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SYSTEMS THAT PUT THE GUN IN RODGER’S HANDS 2) FOR TRUE ANTI-VIOLENCE CAMPUS POLICIES THAT ACTUALLY ADDRESS RAPE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN A TIMELY, VICTIM-CENTERED MANNER AND 3) WOMEN’S STUDIES CURRICULA TO BE FULLY FUNDED AND MADE A REQUIREMENT FOR ALL UC SYSTEM STUDENTS.
WE CALL ON ALL WOMEN STUDENTS, WORKERS, AND FACULTY, AS WELL AS ON THOSE WHO ABHOR THE CONTINUING VIOLENCE AGAINST THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES TO GET ORGANIZED, RISE AND PUT AN END TO WOMEN’S CONTINUING VICTIMIZATION, TO AFFIRM THE RIGHT OF WOMEN TO AN EDUCATION IN VIOLENCE-FREE CAMPUSES, TO LIBERATE WOMEN FROM THE PERNICIOUS THREAT OF MURDER AND PHYSICAL BATTERY IF THEY REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE MASCULINIST CONSTRUCT OF THEIR RIGHT TO COMFORT FROM AND SEXUAL ACCESS TO THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES. NOBODY HAS A RIGHT TO EXPECT SEXUAL ACCESS TO WOMEN’S BODIES. WOMEN DO NOT OWE PEOPLE SEX, SIMPLY BECAUSE MEN BELIEVE THEY DESERVE IT.
RISE UP AND END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – FROM THE VERY THOUGHT OF IT TO THE REALITY OF IT.
END SYSTEMIC AND INSTITUTIONALIZED TOLERANCE FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN!
DEMAND THAT THE POLICE TAKE SERIOUSLY AND FULLY ANY THREAT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
DEMAND THAT CAMPUSES BE VAW-FREE ZONES.
A WOMAN’S PLACE IS AT THE HEAD OF THE STRUGGLE FOR THE LIBERATION OF HUMANITY.