The draft meeting minutes of the UHH Faculty Congress meeting on September 23, 2005 state in part:
Members Present: Tausilia Amoa, Justin Avery, Philippe Binder, Marilyn Brown, Kelly Burke, Jerry Calton, Rick Castberg, Keola Donaghy, Jonathan Groelz, April Komenaka, Jim Mellon, Jene Michaud, Dylan Nonaka, Helen Rogers
Ex-Officio Members Present: Randy Hirokawa, Steve Hora, Corinne Tamashiro
Others Present: Beau Butts, Audrey Furukawa, Gail Makuakane-Lundin
Meeting called to order by Chair Jene Michaud at 3:02 pm.
8. Motion: Waive the 48-hour rule to permit Justin Avery to speak regarding military recruitment on campus. Motion seconded.
Justin Avery said that he believes UH Hilo is in violation of the University’s policy on non-discrimination. He suggested that Congress consider making a statement that would acknowledge that allowing military recruiters on campus violates University policy. Discussion followed regarding the current legal status of this situation nationally and whether the military is indeed discriminating against certain individuals.
Motion: That this matter be referred to the CEC.
Vote: 10 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Meeting adjourned at 4:10 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Jim MellonCongress Secretary
The agenda for the October 28 meeting reads in part:
1. At the CEC meeting on October 17, student Justin Avery gave a presentation on military recruiting on campus. The CEC committee passed the following resolution:
The Congress Executive Committee (CEC) recognizes that military recruitment on campus raises some legitimate issues regarding discrimination against homosexuals. The CEC encourages concerned students to organize forums to educate the campus community on this issue. The CEC also encourages student organizations (for example GLO, UHSA, and the political science club) to take action on this issue if they feel it is appropriate.
The idea that the federal government's actions in facilitating military preparedness can be stopped by invoking anti-discrimination laws and policies has already been floated by Richardson Law School professor Jon Van Dyke in order to prevent UH Manoa from becoming a UARC.
By the liberation of both Afghanistan and Iraq the U.S. military has done more for gay rights than all the college whiners combined. The real motives behind this resolution are obvious. On Wednesday, the 26th UHH student club Global Hope, which Avery is president of, showed the film "Martial Law: Rise of the Police State" on campus. This film claims, among other things, that the 9/11 attack "was an inside job."
Global Hope has a link on their website to WhatReallyHappened. This bunch of kooks claims that 9/11 was another Reichstag fire conducted by Republican operatives to get America into a war. This group also openly compares President Bush to Adolf Hitler
The purpose of this Avery's motion is to undermine the war effort. The Faculty Senate knows this and yet passed their resolution anyways.
Not that I'm questioning anyone's patriotism.
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