Famed legal scholar, Professor Jonathan Turley, is calling on Arizona State University officials to muster the “integrity and courage” to reaffirm publicly, the right of Kyle Rittenhouse to attend classes in person.
Turley asserts Rittenhouse “has every right to expect that he can do so safely.”
Turley’s comments follow an announcement by MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán), Students for Socialism, Students for Justice in Palestine and the Multicultural Solidarity Coalition of a rally aimed at keeping Rittenhouse, who is enrolled in ASU’s online classes, off campus.
Join us and rally against racist murderer Kyle Rittenhouse being permitted on our campus – Wednesday at 3:30 outside the Nelson Fine Arts Center on campus pic.twitter.com/4Hs3JxRqtY
— Students for Socialism ASU (@SFSASU) November 26, 2021
“Students have every right to protest, but ASU must be clear and public in supporting Rittenhouse’s right to access to an education on its campuses,” writes Turley.
In recent interviews Rittenhouse said he would like to eventually attend classes in person.
Rittenhouse expressed that interest in interviews he gave after a jury found him not guilty on all charges against him stemming from the riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2020.
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Rittenhouse shot and killed a convicted pedophile, Joseph Rosenbaum and convicted domestic abuser, Anthony Huber. He also shot Gage Grosskreutz. The jury found all three shootings justified on the basis of self-defense.
Yet, the ASU student groups are calling for Rittenhouse’s ban from campus to “protect students from a violent, blood-thirsty murderer.”
Turley also cited an effort by ASU student Taskina Bhuiya to denounce the verdict and to call for Rittenhouse to be “held accountable for the crimes he has committed.” Bhuiyia started a Change.org petition. “Without a sense of irony,” writes Turley, “the petition declares “ASU should be a safe and inclusive place for all students, which will be disrupted if Kyle Rittenhouse is allowed to attend this school.” Inclusive unless you are an acquitted individual who must be “held accountable.” Hundreds have signed the petition insisting that “Rittenhouse should pay for his crimes.”
It isn’t the first petition started by Bhuiya. Last year, citing a report by FOX10 anchor Kari Lake, Bhuiya called for ASU officials to not resume in-person learning:
The students of ASU do not feel comfortable attending classes due to the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus. Until proper precautions have been taken to ensure the wellbeing of the students, such as disinfecting areas the student with Novel Coronavirus was present, ASU students want their classes canceled. There are people at ASU with a compromised immune system who might easily, and unfortunately, fall victim to this contagious virus. We feel rightful to ask of this because ASU has said it from time on time that, “The health or Sun Devil community is a top priority at ASU.” Students just want to know more information about this virus before going on campus. We do not want to risk our lives by attending class. According to Kari Lake from Fox10, another ASU student has now been transported to the same hospital w’ CV symptoms, this student also traveled to China recently. We need more information ASAP.
Over 27,000 people signed the petition.
Since then, Lake has said she left her position at FOX10 because she couldn’t be a part of fake news anymore.
Not everyone at ASU sees Rittenhouse as a threat. The ASU chapter of College Republicans United (CRU) has called for “student org and individuals involved in this harassment campaign against the student (Rittenhouse)” to be suspended:”
. @ASU should suspend the student org and individuals involved in this harassment campaign against the student. https://t.co/KkscK6DPGr pic.twitter.com/S02hlKsg7w
— ollege epublicans nited (@ASU_CRU) November 28, 2021
Students For Socialism – ASU announced plans for a sign-making party on Monday in preparation for the Wednesday protest.
According to one student, ASU has allowed MECHA to “operate right next to where Hispanic kids go for student services, giving them a prime recruiting area.” MECHA, a socialist-based group, got its start as a “Brown Separatist” organization.