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ARA protest draws response from students, but not administration

Holding signs that read "Apartheid South Africa fell; Israel is next" and "Palestine must be free; Israel equals white supremacy," around 20 members and supporters of Anti-Racist Action protested outside University Hall Wednesday, demanding that the University disclose its entire investment portfolio and divest from the state of Israel.

Protesters called for President Ruth Simmons to respond publicly to their demands. Meanwhile, several student groups set up a table on the other side of the Main Green to present their positions on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

"Our objective today is to have Simmons publicly address the community for once about why Brown's investment portfolio is kept a secret," said Dara Bayer '08, an ARA founder. "We want to draw attention (to) and expose these serious issues and problems."

Wednesday marked the second protest this semester sponsored by ARA, the Democratic Solidarity Committee and Brown Alumni for Divestment.

During the first protest Feb. 11, the groups demanded that the University divest completely from the state of Israel, all Israeli corporations and any U.S. corporations doing business with Israel. Simmons subsequently followed the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Corporate Responsibility and Investing and rejected ARA's demands for divestment in a private letter addressed to Bayer.

Last week, ARA sent Simmons a letter demanding the University disclose its entire investment portfolio. After several speeches from ARA members and supporters on Wednesday, the protesters walked into University Hall to speak with Simmons, but Marisa Quinn, assistant to the president, told them Simmons was not on campus and had not yet seen the letter.

"Once again, there were no concrete statements," Bayer said, "and (Quinn) didn't offer any schedule of when Simmons would publicly respond."

In an e-mail to The Herald, Michael Chapman, vice president of public affairs and university relations, said investment portfolios are often not disclosed, not only at Brown but also at many other institutions and businesses.

"Most management firms consider the portfolios they build to be a trade secret," Chapman wrote. "To divulge those holdings is to reveal the strategies and analysis that is the managers' stock in trade and maintains their competitive edge. In most cases, the University signs and adheres to a non-disclosure agreement."

"For the most part," the University does not "purchase and hold securities directly," Chapman said. Instead, it employs several managers and management firms with expertise in particular areas. "When the University community raises specific concerns about a specific company, we can determine whether the University has a position in that company," Chapman wrote.

ARA planned the Wednesday protest to coincide with A Day on College Hill so the group's concerns could be publicized to both current and future students, said ARA member Matthew Hamilton '05.

"The bottom line is, we believe authority should rest democratically and not solely with (Simmons)," Hamilton said. "We're here to put pressure on her to let her know that we're watching her and waiting for a public response."

Several students and passersby expressed confusion over ARA's reasoning and logic.

Peter McElroy, a prospective first-year who said he was "pretty decided" on coming to Brown in the fall, described the protest as "kind of amusing, actually. It seems like they just take a few buzzwords and slap them together: 'Palestine,' 'white supremacy,' whatever," he said.

Kevin Kliman '06 asked an ARA member if he was "thinking about moving to Palestine. You don't seem to like America all that much," he added.

There were also a few students in support of ARA's efforts.

Christopher Owens '07 came with concerns over what he perceived as a lack of transparency and accountability within the administration.

"I'm here to show my support for people who are really trying to do something other than just throw around rhetoric back and forth," Owens said. "I can't even begin to speculate why Ruth (Simmons) does some of the things she does, and we're here today to hold her accountable for her actions."

While ARA protested near University Hall, several student groups countered ARA by organizing a table on the other side of the Main Green. The groups - Tikkun, Brown Students for Israel, Friends of Israel and Common Ground - answered questions and discussed their individual opinions with students and passersby. A banner in front of the table read, "Constructive Dialogue Productive Activism."

Jeffrey Yoskowitz '07, who organized the table, said that although the four groups clearly diverge in their opinions regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, they are united in their opposition to ARA.

"We do look at that group as radical and on the fringe, and we don't want to legitimize them," Yoskowitz said. "At the same time, we want to show the pre-frosh who have come to campus that Brown is an open and intellectual environment, unlike what ARA and their polarizing, propagandist techniques suggest."

McElroy said he appreciated the table's calmer, more "rational approach to this situation."

"Just symbolically, you can see how both groups present themselves," the prospective student said. "(The groups behind the table) are sitting down and explaining their opinions. (ARA) is being aggressive and shouting in microphones."

After the protest, Hamilton, Matthew Quest GS and other ARA members challenged the four groups to a public debate. Though he said he was somewhat intrigued, Yoskowitz was not completely sold on the idea.

"Many of the groups here feel that it would be impossible to have an open, intellectual conversation or debate with ARA," Yoskowitz said. But some ARA members and representatives of the four groups exchanged e-mail addresses with hopes of arranging some sort of public debate or forum in the future.


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