From Deseret News archives:

BYU OKs Cheney protest

Some students oppose letting him speak at commencement

Published: Thursday, March 29, 2007 4:47 p.m. MDT
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Students crowded the small Provo home where the meeting was held and listened to a list of grievances against Cheney before discussing plans for future action.

Representatives of the College Democrats club told those at Wednesday's meeting that university officials had tentatively approved a second protest for April 26, the day of commencement, pending a review of activities occurring at the first protest. University officials could not be reached after the meeting for comment.

Some students said they would not attend the graduation ceremony if BYU fails to respond to student requests.

"I would boycott it if BYU didn't listen to the majority of students if they said they didn't want (Cheney) to come," said Ashley Sanders, who hosted the meeting.

Sanders said she hopes the university will either uninvite Cheney or agree to host an additional speaker with political views that counterbalance the vice president's.

Students discussed venues for a possible alternative commencement should the university not change its stance and tentatively planned to schedule the Provo Tabernacle.

Meeting attendees were encouraged to participate in a letter-writing petition by sending letters to university officials and local newspapers listing their objections to Cheney's commencement speech.

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Student organizer Bybee said protesting Cheney's visit does not represent an opposition to the university or the LDS Church.

"The people who want to protest are doing so because they love BYU," he said. "We feel like this is something bad for our school that we love very much."


E-mail: rwestenskow@desnews.com

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Boyd Ivey, for the Deseret Morning News

Spencer Kingman talks to fellow BYU students Wednesday at a meeting held to organize next week's protest.

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