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Essays, Opinion, & Commentary |
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a Conservative Indian by David A. Yeagley, Ph.D.
The morning of August 21, 2001, I was threatened with arrest. I had come to the campus of Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma City, to use the library. Kenny Monk, a uniformed security officer, stopped me. "Dr. Yeagley," he began, "You are not authorized to be here on campus. You are neither a student, nor an employee. My instructions are to ask you to leave." I was shocked to be confronted this way in the presence of students. True, I am no longer employed by the university, having been dismissed last May. However, I understood that certain facilities were open to all tax-paying citizens. "I was told, by a librarian, that the library admits public access," I protested. "Those are not my instructions," Monk said. After some further discussion, he contacted his superior by radio. "Shall I call 911?" he asked. Instead, he was instructed to refer the matter to the administration, either Provost Jerry Carroll or Vice Provost Jerry Brooks. Officer Monk and I walked over to the administration building. Provost Carroll was out for the day, so we walked over to the office of Jerry Brooks. Monk briefed him on the situation. I told Brooks that the library had told me I could use their resources. "It's not the library's call, Dr. Yeagley," he responded. "The administration makes the decision." "Can I have something in writing? Is there a specific rule? Can you produce it for me?" I pleaded. "Not right now," Brooks said. "So who made the decision that I can't use the library?" I asked. Brooks was not forthcoming. "I don't think we have to spend time arguing about it now," said the guard. "I'll escort Mr. Yeagley off campus." Brooks willingly agreed. As Monk walked with me, I realized that he was determined to walk all the way with me to my car, and watch me drive off. I had to comment. "Doesn't this strike you as a little ridiculous?" I politely asked. "No," he answered. "It's simple security procedure. We have our instructions." I found my car, and started driving off. "I need to see something in writing!" I said. "We have our instructions," was his only answer. So, I, Dr. Yeagley, holding degrees from Oberlin, Yale, Emory, University of Hartford, and a doctorate from University of Arizona, a published author, international lecturer, and national columnist, was considered a security threat. I cannot fathom what it is about me that so utterly terrifies OSU-OKC. During the years I worked for them, I tried to bring them the finest quality of background and teaching. What could I have done that transformed me, in their eyes, into such a villain that they would have me threatened with arrest in front of students? Is it because I'm a Comanche Indian? Is it because I believe in American patriotism, and write articles on patriotic themes for David Horowitz's FrontPageMagazine.com? Is it because I'm a frequent guest on radio shows across the country, speaking on those same conservative themes? Is it because, in their eyes, the only good Indian is a liberal Indian? I called the main security office when I got home. Trish answered the phone. She was a former student of mine, now a security officer for OSU-OKC. She said there was no actual policy excluding me from the library, nor any which gave me specific access. But the administration had ordered me barred from campus. "Who?" I asked. She hesitated, "Well, Dr. Yeagley, I can't tell you that." She didn't have to. I could guess. No doubt, it was the same people who had been giving me problems from the start, the same people whose harassment I described in my previous article, " I Was Fired For Being a Conservative Indian" and in a recent interview with Insight Magazine. But this time they've really done it. This time they got me mad. Stay tuned for further developments.
The Only Good Indian Is A Liberal Indian
Dr. David A. Yeagley teaches humanities at the College of Liberal Studies, University of Oklahoma in the fall of 2001. His opinions are independent. He holds degrees from Yale, Emory, Oberlin, University of Arizona and University of Hartford. He is a member of the Comanche Tribe, Lawton, OK. E-mail him at badeagle2000@yahoo.com. Feel free to respond to this article in The Radical Academy Forum.
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