Athens saw a diverse array of political activity throughout the fall of 2017
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Conversations focused on individual involvement in politics and the ongoing combat of sexual assault on college campuses were two of the major themes discussed this fall during various events, demonstrations and lectures in Athens, Ohio.
On September 27, Nine Turner, a former Ohio State Senator and current president of the Sen. Bernie Sanders affiliated group Our Revolution, spoke about the importance of getting involved in the political process at every stage of government. Turner stressed that age is not a limiting factor when it comes to becoming active in politics. “You’re never too old to make a difference,” Turner said. “There’s always a generation before us and always a generation behind us. We need dreamers.”
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Our Revolution President Nina Turner discusses political invovlement and many other topics at her 90-Minutes series lecture on September 27, 2017. Photo by Nate Doughty
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LIVE Snapchat Coverage: Students protest Ohio University's interim "Freedom of Expression" policy on October 20, 2017.
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By October 20, students at Ohio University appeared to have followed Turner’s words of encouragement, as nearly 100 individuals took to streets in protest of the university’s interim “Freedom of Expression” policy. The protesters gathered outside the Athens County Courthouse to demand that the policy be changed, or even be scrapped entirely. “Can we do it, yes we can,” protesters chanted on the courthouse steps. “No more protest ban.” |
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The week before, Ohio University welcomed the Monument Quilt, a series of dozens of individual quilts that depict the hardships and challenges victims of sexual assault and rape face. It marked the first time that the quilt came to a university campus since its debut in 2013. |
One of dozens of quilts on display in Peden Stadium on October 13, 2017 for the Monument Quilt's first university campus debut. Photo by Nate Doughty.
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Breaking down the 2017 Ballot: What all can Athens residents vote for? Video by Nate Doughty
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On November 7, residents of Athens put their voices to the ballot as they voted on various policies and levy’s in the 2017 off-year election. Among the most notable initiatives passed were the TACO ordinance and Morsy’s Law. "Voting in an off-year-election is important because local governments are just as important as state and local governments," Leighanne Buschor, a student who voted in the 2017 elections, said. |
“It truly was an exciting semester of content to cover,” Kat Tenbarge, the editor-in-chief of The New Political, said. “Students, faculty and locals alike all had plenty of opportunities to get involved and make their voices heard.”
For some students, the events presented a way to learn more about opposing opinions and created an environment for more discussion on the topics.
“You see a lot of opposing ideas advertised throughout campus,” Tyler Schwartz, a sophomore studying psychology and Spanish said. “I think it’s great that there’s all this opportunity for this though. Even though not everyone agrees on all the viewpoints, it’s beneficial to have disagreement.”
For some students, the events presented a way to learn more about opposing opinions and created an environment for more discussion on the topics.
“You see a lot of opposing ideas advertised throughout campus,” Tyler Schwartz, a sophomore studying psychology and Spanish said. “I think it’s great that there’s all this opportunity for this though. Even though not everyone agrees on all the viewpoints, it’s beneficial to have disagreement.”
