[Mitai-announce] MIT Cracks Down on Free Speech

[peace-request@MIT.EDU]

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has 
reaffirmed its disdain for free speech. On Friday, 
June 4 MIT alumna, Aimee Smith (PhD '02), was 
arrested by MIT police while handing out flyers on 
the sidewalk of Memorial Drive to people arriving 
for graduation ceremonies.

At a university that bills itself as one of the 
premier institutions of higher learning and 
intellectual inquiry, this arrest of one of its
alumna for peacefully handing out flyers is 
outrageous. The flyers contained information
about Boston's proposed Bio-Terrorism Lab. Other 
MIT students also handing out flyers were told by 
MIT police to leave campus or be arrested. Aimee 
was apparently targeted because of her reputation 
as an activist.

MIT is a center of learning based on the free 
exchange of information and ideas. Yet MIT police 
do not even respect basic rights guaranteed by 
the 1st Amendment to the Constitution. And this 
is not the first time that MIT has trampled over 
free speech rights. Three years ago, MIT suspended
an administrative for handing out flyers critical 
of the Shell Oil Corporation. 
(http://web.mit.edu/justice/www/acad_free.html)

Please e-mail the people listed below and demand 
that MIT drop the charges against Aimee Smith, 
clear her record, and apologize for violating her 
elementary rights. Ask them whether it is MIT 
policy to arrest people simply for handing out
leaflets. Demand that MIT affirms its commitment 
to free speech and that anyone with authority at 
MIT is made aware of this Constitutionally protected 
right and is required to respect it. Furthermore, 
demand that the police who conducted a fraudulent 
arrest and man-handled Aimee during the arrest are 
immediately relieved of their duties.

To read more, see:
http://web.mit.edu/justice/www/FalseArrest.html


E-mail, call and/or write (and cc the MIT Social Justice 
Cooperative at peace-request at mit.edu) :


President Charles Vest
cmvest at mit.edu
(617)-253-0148
77 Mass Ave, Rm. 3-208
Cambridge MA, 02139

Provost Robert Brown
rab at mit.edu
(617)-253-5726
77 Mass Ave, Rm. 3-208
Cambridge MA, 02139

Chancellor Phillip Clay
plclay at mit.edu
(617)-253-6164
77 Mass Ave, Rm 10-200
Cambridge MA, 02139

Special assistant to the president
Kirk Kolenbrander
kdk at mit.edu
(617)-253-3365
77 Mass Ave, Rm 10-205
Cambridge MA, 02139

Director of Security and Campus Police
John Di Fava
jdifava at mit.edu
(617)-252-1703
77 Mass Ave, W31-114
Cambridge MA, 02139

Calls and emails made within the next few days are likely 
to have the most impact. 



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