UM System President Tim Wolfe’s words weren’t enough to soothe protesters Tuesday outside University Hall in an exchange captured by the Missourian on Periscope.
“We are tired of the dialogue; we are here for action,” one protester told Wolfe. “This is why we are camping out. This is why he is on a hunger strike. And now the action is I’m sorry — I’m actually not sorry, it’s either your resignation or us getting you fired at this point. Because you have been so negligent.”
The protesters gathered in support of graduate student Jonathan Butler, who is on a hunger strike until Wolfe is no longer president. Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin was present as well.
One protester spoke out in frustration about the steps taken by the black community toward equality that she felt had been appropriated and ignored.
“Our steps from 1969, that we get no credit for, that we came up with, that he is speaking about. LBC created those things and put those in place, but white men, because of their white male patriarchy, want to say that they created those things,” a protester said to Wolfe.
“Can I comment?” Wolfe said.
“No, I don’t want your comments,” the protester responded. “I’m done talking to you. Go back to your office and bullshit.”
Wolfe responded to the increasingly agitated gathering by affirming that he does care and declaring that his actions will coincide with his words. He later released a full statement.
“It is very concerning to me when any of our students’ well-being is in jeopardy, and I am especially concerned about the health and safety of MU student Jonathan Butler,” Wolfe said. “Jonathan is a valued and effective voice in our struggle to combat racial injustice.”
The protesters remained largely skeptical, and recounted the time the concerned 1950 activists stopped Wolfe’s car during the 2015 Homecoming parade.
“You looked at us in the eyes and looked away,” a protester said. “I have that personal memory, and it’s going to stay with me for a long time.”
During the 10-minute demonstration, the car carrying Wolfe hit one of the demonstrators. Wolfe has yet to comment on the incident publicly.
Outside University Hall, one protester was visibly shaken during the encounter and sobbed on the shoulder of another protester.
“He has all of these resources,” a protester said. “He is not only a white man with privilege but he also has educational privilege. And he is still not utilizing his resources to get educated on systems of oppression that these students immortalize in a community space every single day. Instead he would like to bring it to Chancellor Loftin, and Loftin is not the problem. You are over an entire institution. Not even just MU. MU is the largest institution, but you are over several institutions and you do not care about racism, or systems of oppression, or marginalized communities of students. You don’t care.”
The protesters mentioned how they had to miss class in order to talk to Wolfe and Loftin, and how the dialogue on campus regarding racism, isn’t new.
“We are tired of the dialogue; we are here for action,” one protester told Wolfe. “This is why we are camping out, this is why he is on a hunger strike. And now the action is I’m sorry — I’m actually not sorry, it’s either your resignation or us getting you fired at this point. Because you have been so negligent.”
Once the protester told Wolfe that he had two options — resignation or termination, he asked to talk to Butler. He was then told that he would have to schedule a meeting with the curators in order to talk to Butler, as a “good first step” by the protesters.
Wolfe agreed before thanking the protesters for their time and promptly ending the 10-minute exchange.
Loftin remained behind to converse with a group of students and discussed possible efforts to combat the issue of racism and systematic oppression present on campus.
