Bryce felt his phone vibrate once again. He had not thought to change it to ring after his English class. Looking, he found a message from Caroline. “Are you coming to lunch? There’s someone I want you to meet.” The excitement of the clash between the demonstrators and their opponents had kept both Bryce and Damon fixated on the events going on on the quad, so only then did they think about lunch. It was nearly 12:30, and Damon had only a half hour before his Spanish class, so they scurried back to the Union. It seemed more crowded and louder than usual, with snatches of conversations overheard indicating that a lot of students were talking about the recent events on the quad. Those same snatches indicated more sympathy for the demonstrators than for their attackers. No one seemed to know who the attackers were, or even whether they were students.
Bryce and Damon found Caroline belligerently defending a small table in a corner of the room. There was another student with her. While Bryce sat to help her defend her turf, Damon hurried off to grab something to eat. Bryce was introduced to a student named Keith Lanier, who shook hands and asked about the demonstrations. Before Bryce could complete his account of recent events, Damon reappeared with his lunch. Leaving Damon to complete the story, Bryce went off to get something for himself. The conversation remained on the demonstrations almost until Damon had to leave for his class.
By then, things calming down somewhat, Bryce began to wonder whether Keith were the person Caroline wanted him to meet, and if so, why, and if not, who was. Caroline finally solved that problem by saying, “I think we have that all down. Now I want you to really meet Keith. He’s my answer to Marjory Banks.”
At that Keith chuckled. “Caroline has been complaining to me about being harassed by Marjory. I’m afraid I’m not terribly sympathetic. I’ve been harassed by her since we were kids in pre-school. She’s my cousin.”
“Oh, are you a member of AIM, too?” Damon cautiously enquired.
“Nah,” Keith dismissed the idea. “I make an annual donation to the National Museum of the American Indian, and I donate to my parish back in Cherokee and some of the other institutions there, and I put in multi-hours working for both the parish and the local museum, but I don’t go in for the far out stuff.”
“Cherokee? I thought Marjory said she was Lakota,” Bryce was confused.
“I leave you to straighten it out. I’ve got to get to class,” Damon declared, wiping his mouth and departing.
“Marjory lives in a fantasy world,” Keith declared. “She’s exactly one quarter Indian, and that one quarter is Cherokee. So am I. We share a common grandmother. As you might have noticed, I’m also part Oriental. My dad was stationed with the Army in Korea, and married my mom there, so I’m half Korean. Marjory’s dad is my Uncle Jess, and he’s one hundred percent Scotch-Irish, as far as I know.”
“Then why is Marjory pretending to be Lakota?” Bryce asked.
“I think it’s part of her fantasy world,” her cousin replied.
“And what about being related to Dennis Banks?” Bryce asked further.
“Dennis Banks was Ojibwa, not Lakota,” Keith informed them, “and as far as I know, we’re not related at all. I know I’m not, and, as I said, Uncle Jess is pure Scotch-Irish, like most of the folks of the Appalachians.”
“And that’s why Keith is my answer to Marjory,” Caroline pronounced. “I’m sympathetic to the American Indians. I think they got an even worse deal than the blacks. But I’m not about to join some extremist group that assassinates people.”
“Nor am I,” Keith stated. “But hey, how about a donation to the Museum of the Cherokee People, or to Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish?” he grinned.
“I’ll consider it,” Bryce replied. “I’m a history major, so I sure can’t disagree with Caroline’s assessment of our record of treatment of the Indians.”
“Seriously?” Keith asked. “I was kind of joking.”
“Seriously,” Bryce replied. “I’m from Nebraska. I know something about our record when it comes to Indian relations, and I have no reason to believe it was much different back East than it was on the Great Plains.”
“I’ll bring you some materials so you know I’m not just spouting off, like my cousin. But anything would be appreciated. Honestly, I don’t know how these institutions stay open sometime,” Keith promised.
“You mentioned Our Lady of Guadalupe,” Bryce noted. “You Catholic?”
“Yeah. Most of the Eastern Band of Cherokee are Baptists, but some missionary got to one of my ancestors, so we’ve been Catholic for a few generations. But my Aunt Brenda, who married Uncle Jess, went over to the Baptists, so Marjory is not. I’m not sure she’s much of anything, or maybe a lot of everything,” Keith replied.
“What’s that mean?” Bryce asked.
“She’s one of these people who seem to want to be everything and nothing. She proclaims that she’s one thing and then another, even though the two contradict each other, but I don’t think she’s actually committed to anything. She likes to say she’s one with the great Indian religion of nature, but no one has any idea what in the hell she’s talking about, including some genuine devotees of the traditional tribal religions of more than one Indian people,” Keith said with some exasperation.
“So,” Caroline announced, “I can definitely ignore Marjory.”
By this time, Bryce barely had time to check campus mail, where he found nothing of interest, and then make his way to the Medieval England class. There was never a chance of focusing attention on only one matter for very long. Peter Boyington, the campus demonstrations, the plight of the American Indian, and classes all clamored for attention.
Dr. Dickinson was discussing the efforts of King Edward I to conquer Scotland. While uniting the entire isle of Britain might seem like a good idea, the Scots did not seem to take to it very enthusiastically. After a truly enlightening exposition of the situation, the Professor muddied the waters again by citing the assessment of 1066 and All That.
“The childless Scotch King Alexander the Great had trotted over a cliff and was thus dead; so the Scots asked Edward to tell them who was King of Scotland, and Edward said that a Balliol man ought to be. Delighted with this decision, the Scots crossed the Border and ravaged Cumberland with savage ferocity....”
While dredging up explanations of the difference between King Alexander III of Scotland and Alexander the Great, and what a Balliol man might be, Bryce met Damon and hurried to the hospital to visit Peter Boyington before the study group met.
At the hospital, Bryce and Damon again encountered not only Peter Boyington, but also his mother. Mrs. Boyington was quite impressed with the large number of students who had come to express their sympathy and support for Peter. So, for that matter, was Peter. He had not been a prominent individual, and was only a freshman, so most of the support was not personal, but rather an outpouring of disgust at the prejudice displayed in the attack. But there had been enough members of Peter’s classes and his dorm neighbors to encourage him on the personal level as well.
Mrs. Boyington confided to Bryce that he was still her little boy, even to the extent of indulging in chocolate ice cream as often as he could convince the nurses to bring it to him. Although Peter blushed at that, Bryce noted that he and his mother seemed to be getting on very well. Maybe there would be some tense moments when they had to explain everything to his father, who would not appear until the weekend, but things were definitely working out favorably for Peter and his mother.
After this encouraging visit, Damon returned home, while Bryce went off to his Medieval England study group. The most difficult task which fell to Bryce was explaining the reference to a Balliol man. John de Balliol was a wealthy and influential thirteenth century nobleman with interests in England and Scotland. He was a trusted advisor of King Henry III. It was his donation which formed the basis for Balliol College, Oxford, and it was his son, also named John, who was the English candidate for the throne of Scotland after the death of King Alexander III.
As soon as the meeting of the study group broke up, Bryce went to the cafeteria to snatch something to eat before the LGBT meeting. He was joined there by Damon, Mike, David, Jason, and Nate, all of whom were very interested to see how the events on campus would affect the meeting. Over a light supper, they agreed on several things the Vice-President for Student Affairs should be asked at the upcoming meeting. One of the most disturbing rumors floating about was that everyone who took part in the demonstration had been kicked out of school. They got to the meeting hall at least fifteen minutes before the scheduled time for the meeting, only to find it already nearly filled with students. There were in Bryce’s estimation even more students at the meeting than on the quad earlier in the day. Bryce found Felicity, the LGBT President, worried that things might get out of hand. Consequently, with her approval, he asked a half-dozen fairly stout young men to act as security, guarding the stairs from the audience to the stage. Josh Young, leader of today’s demonstration and Vice-President of the Club, was nowhere to be seen.
At 7:00 Felicity opened the meeting. Bryce was seated on the stage, but at a little distance from the lectern. There he took minutes of the meeting. Everyone was tense, as the advertised speaker had not yet arrived. The crowd was getting restless as Felicity went through the ritual of the reading of the minutes of the last meeting. Only when this was completed, and she looked completely uncertain what to do next, did the rear door of the auditorium open, and Dr. Burnett came through, accompanied by three members of the campus security force. John Zoeller, the friend of Bryce and Damon, was not among them. Breathing a sigh of relief, Felicity then introduced Dr. Burnett and relinquished the floor to him.
Dr. Burnett delivered a brief and uninspiring statement, essentially repeating portions of University policies about student organizations and University promotion of diversity. When he seemed to be preparing to leave after only about ten minutes, however, Felicity stepped to the microphone and said, “I’m sure Dr. Burnett would be willing to answer the questions of anyone in the audience.” This, after all, was standard practice with speakers. Only then did the meeting get interesting. The first question was, “What is the University doing about the attack on Peter Boyington?” The Vice-President gave a totally unsatisfying answer, merely saying all was being done to identify the attackers and to preserve the safety of the campus. This was followed by someone asking whether Mack Campbell and Bick Lomax had been questioned in connection with the attack. This Dr. Burnett refused to answer, citing student privacy considerations. Then he was asked whether the families of Campbell and Lomax had made significant donations to the University Development Fund, as reported. This, too, he declined to answer, citing confidentiality. However, Damon rose to ask whether it were not correct that donations to the University were a matter of public record. This seemed to stump the Vice-President, who said he would have to check on that.
Then the questions turned to the matter of the demonstrations that afternoon. Asked to respond to the statement that the demonstrators had been expelled from the University, Dr. Burnett quibbled, saying that as of now no one had been expelled. Jason Todd then asked whether any disciplinary action had been taken with respect to any of those involved in the demonstrations. Dr. Burnett responded by avoiding the issue, talking about campus safety. In his lengthy response to this question, he designated the demonstrators as disturbers of campus security, and as attackers of the main administration building, Dinkelmore Hall. Jason immediately shot back, “But that does not answer my question, Dr. Burnett. Has any disciplinary action been taken against anyone involved?”
Only then did the VPSA admit that “those responsible for creating a situation dangerous to campus security” had been suspended.
This admission created a major stir in the audience, with outbursts and shouted questions.
Jason continued, “By those responsible for creating a dangerous situation, I assume you mean those who attacked the demonstrators.”
“No, of course not!” the Vice-President unwisely responded. “I mean those who were attacking the administration building.”
That resulted in such a furor in the audience that it was several minutes before Felicity could re-establish enough order to continue the question and answer session, and the VPSA looked to make certain his security people were available. Even they looked disgusted by his responses.
“What about those who attacked the demonstrators? Are they suspended as well?” Mike Sandoval asked.
“It is our position that only those attacking Dinkelmore Hall are guilty of disturbing the peace. Those others involved were merely students who came to the rescue of their University. We have no information as to who those students were, however, as they very self-effacingly disappeared once the danger had passed,” Dr. Burnett stated.
This led to another major uproar.
When some degree of order was again restored, a student not known to Bryce gained the floor. He held a small pamphlet. “This is a copy to the Constitution of the United States,” he said. He then read out the First Amendment to the Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” “These rights,” he went on to state, “are guaranteed to all of us by the Fourteenth Amendment, adopted in 1868, which reads, in part, ‘No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.’ Now, Dr. Burnett, in light of the provisions of the United States Constitution which I just cited, how can you justify the treatment handed out to those students who were exercising their right to free speech and peaceful assembly?”
This extended question was greeted with great approbation by the assembly. Dr. Burnett, however, responded, “I leave matters of the law to the University’s attorneys, but I did not see that mob descending on Dinklemore Hall as a peaceful assembly.”
At that, there was a major uproar in the audience. The banner which Josh Young had displayed, proclaiming UNIVERSITY ENDORSES GAY BASHING, was unfurled and prominently waved about. Efforts by Felicity Gaines to re-establish order were entirely unavailing this time. The attempt of several students to rush the stage were prevented by the guards stationed at the stairs before the meeting began, but at that Dr. Burnett called the campus security officers to escort him out of the building. He left by the same backdoor by which he had entered, to the boos and catcalls of the students.
Only after the Vice-President for Student Affairs had left was Felicity able to establish some degree to control. At that time, Mike Sandoval rose to move that the GLBT Club adopt a resolution deploring. the unnecessary and discriminatory disciplinary action taken against students who were exercising their constitutional rights to free speech, peaceful assembly, and petition for redress of grievances. This was adopted by overwhelming voice vote. Then a second student called for peaceful demonstrations at the entrance to Dinklemore Hall until the students who had been suspended were restored to good standing. This, too, was adopted with great support. It was Curtis Manning, whose presence Bryce had not noted earlier, who then suggested that all those present, and anyone else they could influence, send e-mails or write letters to parents, businesses, and public officials they might know to protest the position of the Administration. This was likewise greeted with a cheer. Finally, Felicity, noting the presence of Curtis, also suggested that other campus organizations be asked to support those students who had been suspended. And so it was that Bryce, in his capacity as Secretary, recorded in the minutes of this meeting four motions in support of the suspended students. But it was Damon who closed the meeting with still another motion, which expressed the support of the GLBT Club for the student Peter Boyington, who had been attacked on the University campus and was in serious condition in University Hospital. Like the others, this motion was adopted by overwhelming support, with no negative votes noted.
After the meeting, Bryce congratulated Felicity on her handling of a very difficulty situation. He then asked whether she knew why Josh Young was not at the meeting.
“Oh, didn’t you know? Josh was one of those injured in the clash this afternoon. In fact, he is in worse shape than anyone else. He almost seems to have been targeted by those gorillas who broke up the demonstration,” she informed him.
“No, I hadn’t heard. I guess we should visit him after we visit Peter. Is he in his apartment?” Bryce asked.
“No. He received sufficient blows on the head that the doctors insisted on keeping him in the hospital, at least overnight, in case of anything serious,” the GLBT President related.
“Then we can visit him at the same time as we visit Peter,” Bryce decided.
Bryce and Damon immediately left for University Hospital. First they went to again check on Peter Boyington. As usual, they found his mother also present. But there were many floral arrangements and cards arranged on the shelf near the bed. Evidently, there had been expressions of support and sympathy pouring in all afternoon and evening.
“I do realize that most of these people do not know me,” Peter told his visitors, “but I really appreciate the support. When I’m able, I will definitely be coming back to school here.”
Bryce delivered the expressions of support adopted at the LGBT meeting, and then had to explain to Mrs. Boyington what LGBT stood for. She looked disturbed by that, but said nothing. Bryce and Damon then related to Peter the events at the meeting. His comment was, “Burnett is an idiot. I saw that when he delivered his homily at the orientation meeting we freshmen were supposed to attend at the beginning of the semester.”
At that time, Felicity Gaines and Scott Huong appeared. Bryce introduced them as officers of the LGBT Club. Scott was in the fatigues he frequently wore as a member of the ROTC battalion on campus. This seemed to provide some assurance to Mrs. Boyington. But Bryce and Damon had to leave, as visiting hours were about over, and they wanted to stop in to see Josh before leaving. Felicity and Scott had just been there.
Not far away, just down the hall in fact, Josh Young was also in a hospital bed. He looked up when Bryce and Damon entered his room. Josh looked a great deal like Peter, swathed in bandages, but with greater padding around his head. He actually blushed as he said, “Things did not turn out exactly as I expected, did they?”
“No,” Bryce said. “I’m sure you did not plan to end up in here. How are you?”
“Not real sure. The doctors think I might have concussion. That’s why they won’t let me leave,” Josh told his visitors.
“You don’t look in any condition to leave anyway,” Damon said.
Josh smiled. “I’d kind of like to turn up in class like this.”
“You’re weird,” Damon commented.
“That’s been long established,” Josh replied.
He expressed thanks for the visit, and asked a few questions about the meeting, although Felicity and Scott had already given him the essential facts.
More questions about the clash in front of Dinkelmore Hall elicited the admission that maybe he had not handled the situation in the best way possible. Josh felt bad about the other students who got hurt, although none of them were in as bad a condition as he, evidently. He related that he seemed to be the special object of attack. “Or maybe that’s just my ego,” he joked.
“Your condition here would seem to support your opinion,” Bryce admitted. “Anything special happen during the fighting along those lines?”
“Well, there always seemed to be at least two people on me at all times,” Josh said.
“Did you recognize any of them?” Damon asked.
“No. But one of them evidently recognized me. A big fellow in fatigues said something like, ‘we got you this time, Cocksucker.’ As far as I know, I never saw the guy before.”
“Anything else significant?” Bryce enquired.
Josh smiled. “Besides getting the shit beat out of me, you mean? Not really. There was one little sideline which sticks in my head, though. One of the guys beating on me smelled like cinnamon. I love cinnamon. Or, at least I used to.”
Bryce and Damon exchanged meaningful glances.
“Josh, the guys who beat up Peter Boyington also left in his memory a smell of cinnamon. Be sure to mention this to campus security,” Bryce said.
“Oh, campus security,” Josh said with distaste. “Some goon was here earlier, threatening to do something unmentionable to me if I did not give him the names of everyone involved in the demonstration.”
Bryce considered. “Okay, not just anyone from campus security. I’ll try to get Officer John Zoeller to visit. Remember that name, and don’t talk to anyone else, okay?”
“He’s the one who helped me last year,” Damon informed Josh, “and the one who is trying to help Peter now.”
“Okay, I’ll remember. John Zoeller,” Josh promised.
Then a nurse came around to announce that visiting hours were over.