The People’s Response raise signs and wear black and white masks as they speak out in opposition of the Bush administration and library. (Allen Yu / Rotunda)
“Let’s prevent the next war!” “Arrest Bush now!” and “Abuse of power!” were only some of the messages written on the black poster boards of The People’s Response protest group Thursday morning.
TPR aims to advocate accountability of government officials and seeks to raise public awareness of matters of injustice.
TPR gathered at the Expressway Tower at 7 a.m. with stake signs and flags to show their disapproval of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. Most of them wore black and some had white, somber masks on.
“We are fundamentally rotten… This culture of murder must be brought to a halt if we are to survive,” said 50 year-old Marjorie Steakley, an SMU alumna.
“I’m offended, I’m embarrassed to be an alumna of SMU because of this,” she added. Steakley graduated from SMU in 1986 with a double major in music and biology.
Steakley says that what offends her the most is the idea of SMU dedicating a building to a “criminal against humanity.”
Along with all the other members of The People’s Response, she believes Bush was responsible for the tragedy of 9/11 and the deaths of many innocent people in the wars of Iraq.
“My biggest worry is that the center will be used for formulating the war the way that they did it for Iraq,” said Bijan Abadi.
Abadi is from Iran and has been living in the U.S. for 38 years. He carried a big yellow sign that read “Indict Bush now.”
The group had a series of speakers on a small stage, each describing a way in which they were personally and negatively impacted by the decisions Bush made during his presidency.
They cheered each other on and demanded justice. A member of the group wore a giant rubber mask with Bush’s face on it.
When all the speakers were finished the group handcuffed the member with the mask on, and walked around with him at the front of the line.
“This is the best example of what America should be all about,” said SMU human rights professor Rick Halperin about the protestors speaking out.
Halperin said he was mainly there to take photos to be able to show his future students when this event becomes a piece of history.
He also added that he believes it is an honor to have the Bush Center at SMU as it will be a great resource for all the students.
