21 FAMU Students Walk Out on Jeb Bush on MLK Day

Photo credit: Michelle Ramsey/ The Famuan Student representatives from FAMU's School of Business and Industry greet Gov. Jeb Bush as he arrives at the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Breakfast.

About 21 students at Florida A&M University walked out of a Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Breakfast to protest an invitation to Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to speak there.

"We're upset about the audacity of [President Fred Gainous] to invite Gov. Bush to such a prestigious event," Jehiel Oliver, 21, said.

Student protesters passed out fliers that expressed their displeasure with Bush's ideology, contrasting it with King's.

The fliers illustrated some of King's stances on issues concerning blacks and examples of Gov. Bush's opposition to those beliefs.

Among the grievances covered by the fliers were Bush's legislative resistance to affirmative action and a statement in 1994 in which he said he would do "probably nothing" to help black Floridians.

The St. Petersburg Times reported at the time that, "Bush said he made the comment at an early debate when a woman asked what he would do for the black community. He tried to explain that all people should be treated the same.

"His exact words at the debate were: 'It's time to strive for a society where there's equality of opportunity, not equality of results. So I'm going to answer your question by saying: probably nothing.

"'I think what we ought to do is to have a society where you go out and pursue your dream and you're not punished for working hard and playing by the rules.'"

After the fliers were circulated to the breakfast attendees, the group of students left in protest.

In his speech, Bush said HBCUs were instrumental to society and have "shaped the country."

"We are still in need of HBCUs," Bush said. "I would tell anyone thinking otherwise to look at the students emerging from FAMU.

"As governor, I have attended commemorations for King for the past four years," Bush continued. "This year, I felt that it was important to link Martin Luther King Jr. Day to this institution. FAMU pushes the envelope for progress and dares to change its vision (for continued progress)."

Oliver, an economics and business student from Cleveland, said more students would have protested if the invitation to Bush invitation had been better publicized.

He said he believed there was a lack of publicity because of the university feared possible student backlash.

Student Government Association President Larry O. Rivers said that having Bush at the event was an opportunity to build a positive relationship with him. Rivers, who was seen balling up some of the fliers, called attention to the $30 million Public Education Capital Outlay contract that Bush approved for the university, which helped fund construction projects.

"Gov. Bush is responsible for signing every check the university receives," Rivers said.

Rivers said that although students may oppose Bush's policies, "We are not opposed to getting large amounts of money from legislatures and government" for FAMU.

The student government has made several attempts to invite Bush to the campus for an academic forum where students would be able to ask him questions. His office has repeatedly refused the invitations.

Love Collins, vice president for development, said the university recognizes freedom of expression and appreciates different views.

"Capturing a multicultural blend of all citizens of the United States is a commitment that the university upholds," Collins said.

Both Rivers and Collins commended the students for handling themselves with dignity.

The students' behavior "is reflective of the caliber, sharpness, brightness, and professional courtesy our students would show to anyone," Collins said.

Steven Jumper and Lindsay Pollard, students at Florida A&M University, write for The Famuan.

Posted Jan. 27, 2004