Civil Liberties and Academic Freedom

A number of HAW supporters are focusing on civil liberties/ immigrant rights / academic freedom issues and we are looking to better integrate these issues into all HAW work. The follwoing is a forwarded message from the Georgia Tech group, Students Organizing for Justice.

FYI, the student attacked is a South Asian Muslim. He has stitches on the face, and has lost part of a tooth, and was kicked repeatedly, leaving him with severe bruises. Although there is no other hypothesis other than racial prejudice that's plausible, it's hard/impossible to prove intention, and the assailants have not been found or questioned. The official response is that this particular ethnic identity is "invisible" and therefore not plausibly linked to the cause of the attack. The student is completely traumatized, and this bureaucratic exercise makes him feel as if the violence against him is being taken lightly.

Please contact suhmati@hotmail.com if you can help, or would like to send a letter of concern. Forward to your lists - & if there are others working on foreign students who are under attack, GT students would like to know.

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Students Have the Right to Know -
Stop the attacks on International Students

On February 28th a Georgia Tech (GT) International Student from India was attacked on campus by two white males. To this date the GT administration has not sent out an alert to the student body under a technicality that the crime was not a felony. The crime appears to be racially motivated, as the student's wallet and backpack were not taken, he was only physically assaulted. The attack was sudden and no money was asked for.

It is important that the student body be alerted to this attack immediately, so others are particularly cautious during this time. Further, it is imperative that the university discuss with its international student body the ramifications of this attack in the current climate of war and how best they can ensure their safety.

Email your concerns to: bob.harty@icpa.gatech.edu, rad@cc.gatech.edu, gail.disabatino@vpss.gatech.edu, robert.mcmath@carnegie.gatech.edu

Email addresses are as follows:
1. Robert Harty, Ex-Dir Institute Communication & Public Affairs
bob.harty@icpa.gatech.edu,
2. Richard DeMillo, Imlay Dean of Computing
rad@cc.gatech.edu
3. Gail DiSabatino, Dean of Students
gail.disabatino@vpss.gatech.edu
4. Dr. Robert McMath, Vice Provost
robert.mcmath@carnegie.gatech.edu