A crowd of angry students, disgusted with the passage of Proposition 209, gathered in Malcolm X Plaza yesterday at noon and marched for two miles through streets near campus chanting in unison, "No justice, no peace!" and "Ho ho, hey hey, affirmative action is here to stay!"
Proposition 209, which passed Tuesday, ended gender- and race-based preferences in hiring for state jobs and public university admissions.
"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for affirmative action," said Baseemah Rahman, a computer science major, who added that her little sister is about to graduate from high school and needs these policies in place.
Protesting students felt the need to voice their anger immediately because Proposition 209 -- although it will be tied up in the courts for quite some time -- proposes to end policies still mandated by the federal government.
"First you have to start making a big stink, then people will pay attention," said Nancy Lionetti, a senior in the art department, who chose to lead the protest barefoot.
Lionetti, a mother of two, said she was out to defend the rights of women and minorities.
"I have two children who would be affected by affirmative action -- one is female, one is African-American," Lionetti said as the crowd stopped outside the Stonestown Galleria.
Students were rousted out of ethnic studies and women studies classes by about 10 members of La Raza and the Pan-Afrikan Student Union, along with other student organizations, to join the protest.
"It's either march or burn down the school. And since we pay for the school, this is what we chose to do," said PASU member Troy Buckner-Nkrumah, as he marched down 19th Avenue.
One student within earshot of the honking car horns walked out of in the middle of an urban studies class at about 12:45 p.m. to join the demonstration.
"I was sitting in class and all of a sudden I could barely hear the teacher, so I came out," said Ben Duggen, a senior studying geography. "It's always encouraging to see students get together to protest ... Proposition 209 is an atrocity."
"The whole point is we're trying to let Ward Connerly and Pete Wilson know that we aren't going to lie down for this racist and sexist decision," said Jeff Dillon, an organizer of the protest.
Students marched from Malcolm X Plaza to the intersection of 19th and Holloway avenues, where the crowd blocked traffic for 15 minutes by forming a human circle around the intersection. Motorists were backed up for three-fourths of a mile each way on 19th Avenue, including a line of four Muni buses.
A man stopped at one of the mall's intersections, surrounded by protesters, was unable to move his minivan.
"They can protest, I have no problem with that," said the man through gritted teeth. But "I'm trying to get children to school, and they're keeping me from doing that." He refused to give his name.
Blanca Amezcua was waiting on the Muni platform when the protesters spilled out onto the intersection at 19th and Holloway. However, she didn't seem to mind that the metro was caught in the backup.
"This cause is bigger than being on time," the 25-year-old art student said.
Then marchers continued north, up 19th Avenue, turning left on Winston Drive past the Stonestown Galleria shopping mall and planned to walk to the City College of San Francisco. But they turned back toward campus when organizers thought they might lose marchers.
Officers from the San Francisco Police Department followed the demonstration, but no one was arrested.
Back at the intersection, students were greeted by nearly 50 SFPD officers in full riot gear. Students were warned not to cross a line of officers.
"They told somebody if they did, they would arrest us," said Kellie Jones, a cinema senior.
The protesters left the intersection at about 2 p.m., making their way back toward Malcolm X Plaza, where organizers urged protesters to rally other students to attend another march planned for noon today in Malcolm X Plaza.
[ Golden Gater - November 7, 1996 ]
All Rights Reserved © 1996 HTML by Steve Thoemke (sthoemke@nermal.santarosa.edu)