My name is Brother Raymond and I have been a 9/11 and anti-war activist for many years. In late November my University, Colorado Christian University, escorted me out of the classroom claiming I had broken an online policy. In reality, moments before Elliott Nesch and I had been standing outside on a public sidewalk protesting the Schools refusal to allow me access to the student body to hand out information surrounding our activism. I have been attending this school for many years and was eight classes from graduation. For the past two semesters the administration had attempted to silence my voice.
I had been working with my dean to allow a forum which we were calling “9/11 to Iraq a Christian response”. The level of interest toward what we were doing was growing and I feel being a supporter of the military industrial complex the administration could not allow us to counter the propaganda they had been indoctrinating these kids with. They had already threatened to expel or arrest me if I came on Campus with signs or handing out information. They refused to post any posters to raise support for our upcoming action, where we will be walking from Denver to Washington to raise 9/11 awareness and protest the Christian support of the war in Iraq, saying they were too political, yet they had posters recruiting for the military. I was reprimanded for stapling a pamphlet over a recruiting poster (Without asking permission, God forbid) which expressed the hypocrisy of the school.
After being escorted out of the school it took many weeks for the administration to give me an official reason why they kicked me out. Others wrote the school to protest and were told I was a loose cannon, a few cards short of a full deck, and other slanderous remarks with no substance. Finally I was called in for a meeting. I brought an observer whom they refused and asked to record the conversation which they also refused. They wanted no record or witness to what was to transpire. I was given a small list of untrue accusations, none which warranted the action they took. My forum was cancelled with the promise if I behaved I may be reinstated. I went back to the campus to return my books to see recruiting info everywhere and a group of men holding signs and screaming about finals being over. Apparently you can only cause a disruption on this campus if you are acting like an idiot.
To date I have received no response from the administration. Jan 15-21 Elliott Nesch and I will protest outside the University, on Alameda, in front of the entrance. This is in hope of drawing students out to share 9/11 info and challenge them to not allow this injustice. We will be bringing an RV in order to have a presence day and night. Please join us or support us by calling, faxing, going into the University and expressing your displeasure, handing out info.
Contact Brother Raymond Schwab (970) 988-4929 or
raymond@beitshalomministries.org
www.beitshalomministries.org

CCU contact: 1800-44-FAITH
Mr. Bill Armstrong (President)
Richard Crombie (My Dean)
Jim McCormick 303-963-3363 Office
303-596-2406