Protests not new at Y.
Student activism dates back about a century
By Tad Walch
In 1910, for example, students took to the streets of Provo over the Prohibition issue, according to the book "Brigham Young University: A House of Faith," by Gary James Bergera and Ronald Priddis.
"BYU certainly has a history of student and faculty protest," Bergera said Friday. "It's not a real lively history, but it's still part of BYU's past and seems like it will be on into the future."
That future is now. The university approved a request this week by the College Democrats student club to sponsor a protest on Wednesday. The demonstration will object to the selection of Vice President Dick Cheney as the commencement speaker at graduation on April 26.
A second campus protest will take place the day of Cheney's speech if administrators and students can agree on a location. A decision is expected by Tuesday.
Of course, BYU is known for its lack of protests, a reputation earned during the unrest of the 1960s when the campus was nearly devoid of the upheaval that paralyzed other American colleges and universities.
BYU earned national praise in publications such as the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times for its peaceful campus and well-behaved students, although a claim in a school-produced history that there wasn't a single protest march or anti-administration protest during the period is a stretch.
That history was written by Ernest L. Wilkinson, who was the university president from 1951-71 and a conservative whose tenure, perhaps not so coincidentally, saw a politically diverse campus move to the right.
In 1934, in fact, more than 60 percent of students supported U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal welfare acts, according to a poll conducted by the Y News, an early student newspaper.
In 1911, students demonstrated to oppose threats of dismissal made about three faculty members who taught evolution.
And in 1919, they protested in support of the League of Nations.
But by the 1950s, polls showed the student body overwhelming in support of conservative presidential candidates, a trend that has continued.
Wilkinson did regularly invite presidential candidates from both major political parties to speak on campus, which led to visits by Harry S. Truman and Lyndon B. Johnson. He tried to tamp down student activism at every turn.
During the 1960s, Wilkinson told BYU students in his annual address that participation in a serious disturbance would lead to dismissal. The tough approach wasn't one-sided: Students regularly gave his pronouncements a standing ovation.
Comments
- Jackson memorial performers 5:32 p.m.
- 'Idol' judge DioGuardi gets married 5:29 p.m.
- 'Three's Company' actress gets DUI 5:28 p.m.
- Willis aims to rebuild Idaho lodge 5:26 p.m.
- Utah Co. commuter line progresses 5:25 p.m.
- Student sentenced in alcohol death 5:13 p.m.
- Movsisyan signs Danish deal 4:49 p.m.
- Utah fugitive pleads guilty in Fla. 4:28 p.m.
- Police suspect suicide at park 3:42 p.m.
- Hatch: BCS too arrogant to change 3:41 p.m.
- Don't listen to marriage cynics
126 - Palin resigning as governor
112 - Lack of Obama photos concerning
107 - Palin's and Romney's roles in 2012?
103 - Letters: Palin mistreated
98 - Teachers struggle with district cuts
95 - Jazz talked Kirilenko for McGrady
94 - Utah leaner in too-fat country
91 - 'Tea party' protesters unhappy
87 - Y. gets verbal from cornerback
82
The night was balmy though buggy at SPOC, the Stansbury Park Observatory...
So what's your point? We are all spirits too, A spirit with a body, ...
The only changes that were made from Bush to Obama is the money changers in...
Re: 'China Beach': It always comes down to the money. Funny, the money was...
RE: TEACHER | 8:34 a.m. July 6, 2009 If you work so much how are you...
There is nothing illegal about the BCS. If the NCAA wants a football...
With all the problems in this world and we are focusing our attention on...
Typical crybaby neoconservative. When the heat's on they quit.
I have a 23 year plan that will cure all that ills America. Every...
I can't wait to see when everyone qualifies for Medicad. It doesn't pay or...
"Watch out for the Aggies." Why, are they going to win more than 3 games...



You can be the first to comment on this story.