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Friday, March 29, 2024
Associated Students of Madison Vice Chair Mariam Coker said she thought “Black Lives Matter” wasn’t a political statement at Wednesday’s Student Council meeting.

Associated Students of Madison Vice Chair Mariam Coker said she thought “Black Lives Matter” wasn’t a political statement at Wednesday’s Student Council meeting.

ASM addresses student criticism of ‘political’ window sign

The Associated Students of Madison—largely made up of those who ran on the activist BlindSide ticket last semester—faced anonymous criticism from a student who questioned their ability to adequately represent all student views on campus.

At Wednesday’s student council meeting, ASM Chair Carmen Goséy announced the council received a complaint from the Office of Compliance. An anonymous student was offended by sign supporting the Black Lives Matter movement that hangs ASM’s office window facing East Campus Mall. The student reportedly felt that ASM should not display this political statement as the body is a non-political group.

ASM Vice Chair Mariam Coker said she put the sign up following the Wisconsin Union putting “Black Lives Matter” on TVs around the Union, political momentum from Trump’s election and UW-Athletics refusal to issue a statement saying “Black Lives Matter” following the noose incident.

“For me Black Lives Matter isn't a political statement,” Coker said. “It's a known thing that black people are being killed [at this point] by police.”

However Chair Carmen Goséy said that personally she does consider “Black Lives Matter” to be a political statement and has no intention of removing the sign.

“'It's a good political statement and it's a needed political statement,” Goséy said. “And it represents the work that we all strive to do.”

Representative Tyreik Mack questioned if the council endorsed Black Lives Matter or if it was just rhetoric. He implored the group to acquaint themselves with the platform and policy framework of the movement.

While no resolution was proposed Wednesday, Secretary Deena Whitwam suggested that the group vote on the sign’s continued presence.

Following the chair’s report the council moved to pass new legislation. Omer Arain, chair of ASM’s Shared Governance Committee, and Ali Khan, chair of the Equity and Inclusion Committee, introduced legislation for ASM to provide support to Syrian citizens facing genocide. The legislation calls on students to participate in a call-in this Friday to demand that Wisconsin representatives use their power to provide assistance to the Syrian people.

The 23rd session will resume in January with newly confirmed Letters & Sciences representatives Brooke Evans and Jacob Gardner.

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