Today, hundreds of students and faculty protested the planned commencement address of Dick Cheney. And, it happened, of all places at the Lord’s very own University, BYU. I say, Rise and Shout Cougs—you did good. There is some great coverage. The best site, I’ve seen for photos is at Onelowerlight’s blog. (who allowed me to repost a couple over here. Other posts covering the protests at Onelowerlight can be found here, here, here, here, and here. He is a BYU student and took a great selection of photos which he has posted. Make certain you double click on the photos to show them in their original size. They are really good. Sterling over at BCC has also posted on the protest, as has DMI Dave, and A Soft Answer. As I find others, I will link to them. The national press has also extensively covered the protests, which I will link to below as I find them. I congratulate the students and faculty at BYU who were responsible for planning and executing a well organized protest. Great Job!
National Press coverage after the jump:
NPR Morning Edition (Hat Tip Seth R.)
CNN (This is the AP version of the story, which as been picked up by outlets all over the country).
Messenger and Advocate 
April 4, 2007 at 9:51 pm
[…] (Update II ) For an updated post on the coverage and photos of the BYU Cheney Protest, see here. (Update I) The Deseret News reports on the Church’s announcement here. The Salt Lake Tribune […]
April 4, 2007 at 10:26 pm
Hey, thanks for linking to my blog! I appreciate it.
April 5, 2007 at 5:39 am
onelowerlight: No problem. Great photos. Thanks for posting them, and letting me use a couple over here.
April 5, 2007 at 6:32 am
I’m just hoping that a protest is organized for commencement day. That’s one I’ll go to. I’m not so much against the FP’d decision to invite him as I am against the man himself.
Protesting two weeks early in order to sway BYU’s decision is ultimately a slap in the face of the FP to extend the invitation to a sitting veep (who I think to be evil). However, protesting on the day of his visit shows respect for the FP and their informed decision while showind disdain for the man himself, his actions, and his policies.
April 5, 2007 at 7:31 am
Connor,
It is good in that this is news for people to chew on BEFORE the event itself. I wonder what the White House thinks about this. Somehow I don’t think they were expecting protests from BYU. Now the news is talking about how even in the reddest university in the reddest state is protesting Cheney.
April 5, 2007 at 8:01 am
Perhaps these protests are wake up call for the WH and Dick Cheney. I think they certainly speak volumes.
April 5, 2007 at 11:41 am
Dan,
I agree that there is value in protesting before the event, so long as the message is clear that the opposition is against Cheney and not against the policy or decision of the BYU Board of Trustees. From what I’ve read and heard, I think the protesters yesterday did a good job at communicating that.
Guy,
The neocons have had plenty of wake up calls that have been ignored and disregarded. They most likely couldn’t care less that a few hundred kids in “the reddest state” put a protest together. While the American public mostly disapproves of these men, our Congress has lacked any spine to put together much-needed impeachment proceedings and boot them out of office. And so, they know they have another 1.5+ years of safety in which to push their agenda forward.
The protests may speak volumes to people locally (and hopefully create some much needed political debate at BYU, where by and large students are ignorant as to the warmongering monstrosities committed by this administration) but I don’t think they speak volumes to Cheney himself.
April 5, 2007 at 11:42 am
Guy,
Oops, I sent two comments. I didn’t think the first went through, and so I ended up having to retype my thoughts and send it again. I goofed – please delete whichever one you’d like. Sorry and thanks.
April 5, 2007 at 4:20 pm
I laugh at this “protest” as it proves nothing. A couple hundered students (not sure that is what all of them were) carry signs among how many students that actually go to BYU? From what I remember from my days at BYU it is probably the same group of people that protest at the drop of a hat.
April 5, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Jettboy,
Does it matter what the numbers were? For those making a personal statement, opposing the amoral actions of a man unworthy of his office does not require a majority in agreement.
President Hinckley has said:
Echoing his sentiments, President Faust has also said:
I think the protest (and the underlying opposition to a man who condones torture, unlawful wiretapping, among other highly controversial policies) does prove something. It proves that there are students at BYU who understand the role that protests and demonstrations play in a democracy where there are still people willing to take a stand to promote liberty and tear down tyranny.
April 5, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Halliburton and “He Lied, They Died”, wow how original and wrong. I was hoping BYU students could show a bit more originality and fortunately, many did. It’s nice to see the national coverage and a quiet respectful protest, it let’s the outside world see that we can respectfully disagree without the hateful insults usually accompanied with the Bush/Cheney Haters (Daniel?). I’m with Jettboy, nice protest, nice news, no lasting national effect, however local dialogue is always good. And I can even find some agreement with Connor on the current spineless Congress who are patting themselves on the back for their arbitrary deadlines and cutting off of funding threats, yep that will end the war successfully. And while we’re doing it, let’s add on the pork (yes, some good pork and some bad, but it’s pork), even though we campaigned that we wouldn’t. Go Brother Reid, and Speaker Pelosi, they’ll be telling jokes the moment you leave. On the upside, I did enjoy the pictures, well done and thanks. I’ll be attending a BYUH commencement in December, we’ll see who they invite. Even though I disagree with Brother Reid, I would love to hear his view.
April 5, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Brian Aikens, long time no see. Welcome back, and it’s nice to read your viewpoint as always. I think there could be a lasting effect in this protest, in that perhaps it will demonstrate to the world that BYU and the Church are in fact comprised of individuals of diverse political views and opinions. That is a good thing, probably one of the best that can come from this little exercise. Can you imagine such a protest in 1972 outside Deseret Towers? We’ve come along way baby.
April 6, 2007 at 7:37 am
Ho-hum.
Apparently, representatives of the news media slightly outnumbered the protesters.
April 6, 2007 at 7:47 am
“Can you imagine such a protest in 1972 outside Deseret Towers?”
I have seen more than one protest on the BYU campus. This is not as unusual as you are trying to make it out to be. The difference might be there is perhaps 50 more people than usual.
April 6, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Thanks for posting on this protest, nothing ho-hum about it.
April 6, 2007 at 3:21 pm
More lies from Cheney:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8OB8L3O0&show_article=1
April 10, 2007 at 9:44 am
Protest outside of DT, hey we would have hit them with a water baloon projectile, those were the days.
As I shared, open, respectful dialogue is always good, how boring if you and I agreed with each other (go Trojans, but I did pick UCLA to go all the way in the office pool). I agree wholeheartedly that it shows that we both have and use our agency, from that standpoint, well done. A member of our ward was just up at BYU with his family, his son will be attending in the Fall, he said he missed the whole thing. When I mentioned the subject, his comment was “well Cheney is the Vice-President”. I think this is a pretty typical LDS response. Is that good or bad? That’s why we blog.
April 10, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Congrats to BYU for having Cheney as their commencement speaker. He is the Vice President of the United States, the greatest country in the world. Don’t let a pitiful few 200 College Democrats spoil the amentias occasion. The Bush and Cheney administration have keep the country safe from a second al Qaeda attack for 6 years and counting. I’d listen to Cheney speak any day over the whacked out “earth has a fever” Al Gore or traitors to our soldiers Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.
April 10, 2007 at 10:20 pm
I’d listen to Cheney speak any day over the whacked out “earth has a fever” Al Gore or traitors to our soldiers Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.
Thank you for dropping by, Mrs. Cheney. How are the grandkids doing these days?
April 10, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Josh, I agree with you that Cheney’s address is an amentias occasion …
American Heritage Dictionary
a·men·tia (ā-měn’shə, -shē-ə)
n.
Mental retardation.
Lack of development of intellectual capacity as a result of inadequate brain tissue.
April 11, 2007 at 5:55 pm
Oops, how imbarrassing Chino…anyways, the college democrats at BYU have been out debated for years by the college republicans, so I guess this is their way to finally get some spot light. Too bad that the libral, drive-by media doesn’t report the full support of Cheney on the other side of the aile. Go Cougs!
April 12, 2007 at 4:05 am
Josh,
In your world, is voting kinda like choosing your favorite sports team, and so once the election’s over, you feel like you’re supposed to spend the next 4-8 years cheering on your team, even going so far as to put on a brave face when your team’s not getting the job done?
Anyway, I agree, Go Cougs! I thought it was great that BYU agreed to allow the protest, a most excellent decision on their part. As for fully supporting Cheney, Josh, Go Enlist!
April 13, 2007 at 11:21 am
Here is a report concerning those “thousands” of protestors against Cheney. Can you really judge people by thier supporters?
http://www.andnetwork.com/index?service=direct/0/Home/recent.fullStory&sp=l287232
April 13, 2007 at 11:41 am
I missed the gassy sugar water revelation. You mean that I could hove been drinking Dr. Pepper guilt-free this whole time?
April 13, 2007 at 8:51 pm
My team’s definitely getting the job done…no attack on U.S. soil in 6 years, especially impressive when you have the media and Speaker of the House giving aid and comfort to the enemy. P.S. my job supports the troops, I attended ROTC at BYU, and have a close friend from BYU that has already paid the ultimate price in Iraq to protect this nation.
April 14, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Josh,
I suppose it’s my fault that I don’t understand clearly the link between Iraq and those who attacked us?
Many of us who are questioning now are types who strongly supported going into Afghanistan and kept our mouths shut during the first few years of this Iraq misadventure out of a sense of giving this administration the benefit of the doubt. Don’t kid yourself that those Americans you disagree with are hoping to see America fail … those making such accusations are simply revealing how weak and immoral their own position is.
To the folks responsible for fabricating the alternative reality you live in, I’d say: Go get real jobs, but before moving on, tell your bosses to face up to the realities of this conflict, accept responsibility for their decisions, policies and strategies, and stop flailing around for a scapegoat, especially when that flailing means tarring political opponents as traitors. Shame.
April 15, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Connor, You quoted President Hinckley statement on April 5th about Renounce War and Proclaim Peace. Please give the source of this quote. I want to use in a article I am writing. Bart Please send e-mail to barttip@msn.com
April 15, 2007 at 9:17 pm
Bart the quote you are looking for is in this talk. Scroll down a little more than half way and you will find this quote:
Good luck on your article.
April 16, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Osama bin Laden said that Iraq is a critical campaign in the war against America and that the bombings in London were a result of the conflict in Afghanistan AND Iraq. If bin Laden links these conflicts, then that is good enough for me.
Iran and Syria have already joined the conflict. Lybia and Pakistan have made the correct choice to not support Islamic fascism.
The democrats are undermining the global war on terrorism. For them to win politicallly and cater to the libral fringe that controls the party right now, the United States has to lose the war.
Librals talk about how how we should send the military to Darfur to end the genocide there, but we should get out of Iraq. If we leave Iraq, what do you think will happen? Massive genocide between Shia and Sunni after al Qaida in Iraq foments the violent by bombing mosques on both sides. The same thing happen because we left Vietnam…we were responsiable for the mass genocide by the Vietcong.
The democrat have no real answers. They are void of leadership. They we pull our troops back and wait for the next attack putting money in First Responders instead of staying on the offensive and hunting down and wiping out the cancer that is Islamic facism.
April 16, 2007 at 7:03 pm
So, Mrs. C., how are the grandkids? Sheesh, shoulda let Mark N. have the last word, my bad.
April 16, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Osama bin Laden said that Iraq is a critical campaign in the war against America and that the bombings in London were a result of the conflict in Afghanistan AND Iraq.
Osama wants us to convert to Islam; we want the Islamic world to convert to democracy.
I wonder who’ll win. Looks like an eternal Mexican standoff to me.
April 16, 2007 at 10:38 pm
P.S. my job supports the troops
So does mine: I’m a U.S. taxpayer.
April 18, 2007 at 9:10 am
If Bush’s Secretary of Defense is right about this:
….”The debate in Congress … has been helpful in demonstrating to the Iraqis that American patience is limited,” Gates told Pentagon reporters traveling with him in Jordan. “The strong feelings expressed in the Congress about the timetable probably has had a positive impact … in terms of communicating to the Iraqis that this is not an open-ended commitment.”
then it stands to reason that public protest against government figures associated with the war would also have the positive impact of communicating public disapproval of an open-ended commitment.
April 20, 2007 at 4:21 pm
I take back my desire to listen to Brother Reid, see comment #11. What a joke. What positive solutions, or any solutions, does he have to offer to a extremely difficult situation? Arbitrary deadline, cut off of funding, “this war is lost”, oh me, oh my. Come on Eeyore Democrats, you wanted to be in charge, now you are, where are your answers now? And don’t tell me you didn’t get us into this, so what, no excuses, time for the answers you said you had when you campaigned for our votes!!
April 20, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Brian,
Any solution that brings this war to an end is a positive solution. It looks as though we are finally going down that path. All I can say it that it’s about time!
April 23, 2007 at 8:52 am
Key word, solutions, not just criticisms. One hard, one easy. I think we would all like a solution and exit, and there we vary. Always a pleasure to share in your thoughts my friend.
September 15, 2009 at 11:12 am
Not quite sure why the leftist Guy is bothering to blog on anything related to a conservative religion such as LDS.
Guy tends to get every key issue backwards, similar to those that the scripture says “Wo unto those that call night day and day night, that put good for evil and evil for good.” Guy is one of those sorts of guys. His comments betray that his is contrary to most known and revealed truths.
But alas, he is has a right to an opinion, even if it is one saying look, the night is day and the day is night.
Still have to question his motives for tying himself to a conservative church and being leftist in everything he spews.
September 25, 2009 at 11:38 pm
“But alas, he is has a right to an opinion, even if it is one saying look, the night is day and the day is night.”
Let him post away. I disagree with much of the politics, but he is free to speak his mind. It is unfortunate that he makes the site appear to be representative of the church when really it is far more a political blog.
Irony of ironies, I just read a portion of the “bash Glenn Beck” blog – as much as I could stomach. The main message of that blog: Beck is an idiot and should be censored by the church. He is a horrible representive of the church!
The irony. Glenn has never put himself forth as a shiny example of all things Mormon. He clearly states he is a political commentator, a “rodeo clown” of opinion. This blog pretends to be representative of the church – but is really a running political diatribe.
My sumation of this site. Here is a negatively focused political blog on most all things conservative dressed up as a religious blog. The cover of the book does not match the inards.
June 24, 2013 at 7:18 am
[…] March 2007, rare protests erupted across BYU campus in Provo, Utah. The controversial topic that saw Mormon dissent make headlines […]
June 24, 2013 at 8:14 pm
[…] March 2007, rare protests erupted across BYU campus in Provo, Utah. The controversial topic that saw Mormon dissent make headlines […]
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