DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF News) — SMU has changed its mind and will not relocate its annual 9/11 memorial.
It’s a win for SMU students, who have been fighting the university’s decision for more than a week, as have alumni, donors, and even politicians like Governor Greg Abbott.
“Over the course of the past week and a half, we’ve been able to garner enough momentum, and that resulted in phone calls, text messages, e-mails, big donors, small donors, and alumni calling SMU” said Drew Wickers, President of SMU College Republicans. “I think that forced SMU to the bargaining table.”
They didn’t want the memorial moved from Dallas Hall for a few reasons, one of them being it’s where students met after the events of 9/11 nearly 16 years ago.
“We feel that’s where it should be, and we really appreciate the administration working with us to come to that conclusion ,” Wickers said.
This is absurd. Political correctness at its worst. https://t.co/nUvtHBUl8i
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 3, 2017
A statement from the university states one-day demonstrations on the lawn will be held on the north side, while three-day demonstrations or memorials will be held on the south side. This, according to the university, allows the lawn to be used for both free speech purposes, as well as other university activities — something SMU pointed to in its original decision to move the 9/11 memorial away from Dallas Hall.
“I thank the students from across campus who came together in the spirit of mutual respect and civil discourse to achieve this outcome,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner in the statement. “Throughout these discussions, students have expressed their commitment to freedom of expression – a value the University shares.”
Wickers said he’s ready to put the university’s original concerns about the memorial or other demonstrations being triggering or harassing behind him, and that the school’s decision to keep the 9/11 memorial at the Dallas Hall lawn says a lot about SMU’s students and values.
“SMU firmly believes in making world changers,” Wickers said. “We felt comfortable and in an environment where we felt comfortable and could stand up for what we believed in.”
