Marquette Public Safety becomes
Marquette Police Department today

Today I had some more insight of how diversity of issues and organization leads to lack of unity and working together. But I need more time to dwell on this thought. So tonight I present a letter to friends of Breaking the Silence that builds on last nights posting MU Center for Prosecution of Black and Brown Persons

Friends of Breaking the Silence,

Awhile back Marquette Security officers got the right to be armed.

Today the Marquette University Security Office of Public Safety becomes the Marquette Police Department.

A few weeks ago Marquette University announced $1 million, three-year initiative with the support of Aurora Health Care, Harley-Davidson, Marquette University, MillerCoors and Potawatomi Business Development Corp to fully fund a dedicated Community Prosecution Unit – led by a full-time Assistant District Attorney and full-time community prosecution coordinator. Marquette University’s Center for Peacemaking will coordinate this effort called PARC, Promoting Assets and Reducing Crime.

At the Solitary March of Marquette students, Monday, black and brown students, calling themselves, The Ad Hoc Coalition of and for Students of Color talked about the discrimination and special treatment they and neighborhood residents of color faced at Marquette and the near West Side area. After a year of just talk by administration officials they took action. One student of color told me he was on a scholarship at Marquette but could not afford to live on campus so was staying with his brother in North Central Milwaukee. Now he fears the color of his skin will further endanger his life, since Marquette Police, like Milwaukee Police, could profile people of color.

Many police officers, like the police officer that shot Dontre Hamilton fourteen times are war veterans that were trained, like Marquette military officer students, in reflex killing, killing without thinking or using conscience. (The officer that shot Dontre Hamilton has applied for full disability since he now suffers from PTSD.)

If you need the concern more spelled out see the posting MU Center for Prosecution of Black and Brown Persons?

Marquette University, funded by big business, will now have the ability to arrest and prosecute people of color on and around the campus. The TV news claims Marquette is the first private university to do this.

My question is to you: Will we Break the Silence about Marquette militarize the security by making them police and to have own State prosecutor for the neighborhood. We often complain not have more Marquette students in our struggle to rid Marquette of the three military bases on campus. We all know that increased policing and prosecution does not decrease crime. Perhaps if we join students on campus in their efforts to stop discrimination by Marquette they will support our efforts to hosting Marquette military training centers for DoD for Southeasten Wisconsin.

What are we going to do about armed Marquette police and special neighborhood prosecutor? If you think we should keep silent just say so. If you think we should break the silence and support students and neighbors just say so. If Yes we can come together and act. Contact

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