Posted by PChristo on 11/10/09 11:32 AM Last updated 11/10/09 9:34 PM [Newer: Video of Washington University Officials Conspiring to Shut Down Protest] [Older: Keep the Change]

Today, commemorating the fall of the Berlin wall 20 years ago, Washington University Young Americans for Liberty (WUYAL) staged an event on campus that incited great controversy.  In order to demonstrate the consequences of socialism, WUYAL crafted a Soviet-style gulag.  The four walled, 10 foot high stockade was displayed prominently in the middle of campus for most of the day.  Around the prison marched guards dressed in Soviet regalia and inside were abused prisoners who had resisted the socialist regime.  Playing in the background was the Soviet National Anthem and a speech containing propaganda to which the prisoners were forced to listen. 

Students had a wide range of responses to the event.  Some were amused, some were inspired and began arguing the merits of capitalism with our soviet guards, some regarded the event as petty, and others remarked that it was offensive to Russian Americans.  The gulag drew a local radio station, the campus newspaper, and many bloggers who interviewed participants and passers by.  Flyers were distributed with information regarding the realities of socialism and the destruction which it has caused in the 20^th century. 

It was not long before for some professors decided they were unpleased with this sort of political protest.  A few walked by and remarked that they would "make some calls" in order to ensure that we were shut down.  About two hours into the event, a university official approached the guards and demanded that we provide him with our paperwork.  After successfully demonstrating that we were authorized by event services, he marched off.  An hour or so later came a police officer following up on a complaint about the event which she received.  After being assured that our event was peaceful, she too left.  Finally, the University brought out the big guns.  They came with several armed officers and a university official and instructed us to take down our protest on account of the fact that our tools were not inspected prior to the erection of the gulag. 

Despite the University's antagonism, our message got out.  Though we were forced to take down our gulag, we were able to distribute hundreds of flyers and reveal the destructive side of socialism to many students.  It is unfortunate that universities believe in free speech only for the far Left.  Thankfully, we were able to elude their bureaucratic system long enough to make an effect. 

The following link is to a local radio station which covered the event.  More pictures and videos will be attached as I receive them.  http://www.kmox.com/Students-against-socialism-turn-heads-at-Washingto/5635175   

**Update**

Another media report here.

*Update 2*

More pictures and video can be found here.

Posted 11/09/09 9:32 PM Robyn Hamlin Saint Louis, MO

I am happy that you were able to open some eyes. It is important that people learn the differences between socialism and capitalism and this seemed to make it easy for many to see the differences. Keep up the good work.

Posted 11/09/09 10:59 PM Terry Jack Springfield, IL

Thanks for the post and update! I'm sure the demonstration made a few people reconsider what it means to give up your personal freedom for the safety blanket of big government.

Posted 11/09/09 11:04 PM CHUCKtheFED St. Louis, MO

Where there is one voice there will be two ears... and a small light in total darkness is brilliant. You would have hoped that at least one "authoritarian" would have honored the date, and had humor enough to at least say it... "...tear down that wall...."

Posted 11/10/09 01:45 AM celticreeler Rolla, MO

Bravo! Keep up the good work. Having recently been interested in propaganda, I watched the first 6 of 7 parts of WWII's "Why We Fight" films, directed (mostly) by Frank Capra, and funded by the U.S. Gov't. Part 5 is "The Battle of Russia". In that film it is actually stated that the Russian people were free, and were thus able to mount their resistance to the Nazis. This was stated twice, I believe. I was pretty shocked. I wish we would toss out "right" and "left" and go with "Big government-small freedom" and "Small government-big freedom." A totalitarian state uses propaganda, secret police against its opponents, emphasizes the goals of the state over the individual, wants to control every aspect of life, maintains itself by force and lacks accountability to the people, and possesses a one-party political system led by a powerful dictator. Of course if there are two parties with the same ideas, you really have a one-party system. And you have "100% voter turnout", probably. Does any of this sound familiar?

Posted 11/10/09 10:28 AM rightsman Las Vegas,, NV

Pchristo, What a delight to read a report such as this with my morning coffee! Keep on keepin' on! My grandchildren need fighters like you! Celtic reefer, The way we toss out "left" and "right" and start using "big government-small freedoms" and "small government-big freedoms" is to just do it. Even the main stream media will start using it. It's a good idea. We give a whole lesson on freedom with the use of eight words. It's that type of creative thinking that brought about the United States of America, and that's what will help bring about the re-establishment of our Republic. Thank you, Robert Walker

Posted 11/10/09 12:19 PM Carol Riess St Louis, MO

Classic! "Let me see your papers please."

Posted 11/10/09 1:19 PM oreosx11 Baton Rouge, LA

This is great news, I applied to Washington University for medical school this year and this will be another reason among a million that makes this school my top choice.

Posted 11/10/09 2:01 PM 4RaisingAwareness St. Louis, MO

What a wonderful concept for bringing a reality to what has been solely a "conceptual" discussion. The University, on their own, added to the reality. You got great coverage and the comments on the update reporting confirm what a good job you did. You made your point to many people. Very well done, Wash U. YAL. I'm looking forward to seeing the "more video to come" mentioned at the end of the FIRST THINGS article. Please keep up posted. Keep up the good work. In Liberty, Tamara Donohoe

Posted 11/10/09 3:19 PM ENDelt260 San Diego, CA

Haha... so a mock suppression of expression was replaced with a real suppression of expression? Only thing better would've been if the YAL had refused to shut it down and allowed themselves to be arrested. What better way to drive the point home than to have passing students witness pretend prisoners become actual prisoners and cops tearing down the structure.

Posted 11/10/09 3:59 PM ENDelt260 San Diego, CA

So, after reading this post I did a quick Google news search for Washington University to see what kind of coverage it was getting, and was surprised to only hit the two links provided here. So, I decided to shoot Glenn Beck an e-mail. I know lots of folks here aren't necessarily Fox News and/or Beck fans, but I figured if there was a national news network and/or personality that would give the shutdown of a demonstration critical of communism some coverage, them would be the ones. My e-mail's below if'n you're interested in sending along something similar. to me@glennbeck.com, stu@glennbeck.com date Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 12:31 PM subject Washington University shuts down demonstration critical of communism Glenn/Stu - Please consider providing some coverage of this recent happening: http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=28156 http://www. kmox.com/Students-against-socialism-turn-heads-at-Washingto/5635175 http://gate waypundit.firstthings.com/2009/11/wash-u-shuts-down-freedom-memorial-on-20-year- anniversary-of-end-of-communism-it-was-too-offensive-video/ Basically, some students at Wash U set up a mock gulag to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the destruction of the Berlin Wall and to remind passers-by of the dangers of an oppressive government. After repeated attempts, the administration and LEOs finally shut the whole thing down. It's the sort of thing that I think deserves at least a momentary national mention. If it doesn't come from Glenn Beck and/or Fox News, I don't know who it would come from. Thanks for your consideration. --Brian Johnson

Posted 11/10/09 6:06 PM PChristo St. Louis, MO

I think its a great idea to start lobbying Glen Beck to take up this issue. Maybe the Judge would be willing to bring it up on Freedom Watch? I hope people continue to send emails to this end. -Phil Christofanelli Washu-YAL, C4l Correspondent

Posted 11/10/09 7:45 PM Isomies Mechanicsville, VA

I guess freedom of expression is ok unless you disagree with it. I agree with ENDelt260, the message would have been amplified a hundredfold if the police had arrested them.

Posted 11/11/09 06:52 AM Break your chains Byron, GA

If the school accepts public funding, then there's no way they (should have) had the authority to shut these students down. I do think rebuilding the wall is a good idea, though. If we'd have known that all the socialists would have spilled out of the east when the wall came down, we'd have been better off building an extra wall just to be on the safe side.