Pubdate: Mon, 03 Jul 2006 Source: Capital Times, The (WI) Copyright: 2006 The Capital Times Contact: http://www.madison.com/tct/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/73 Note: Usually does not publish letters from outside the state. Cited: UW Police http://www.uwpd.wisc.edu/contacts.html Cited: Wisconsin Union http://www.union.wisc.edu/staffdirectory/ Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Ben+Masel (Ben Masel) PEPPER SPRAY VS. DEMOCRACY For as long as anyone can remember, candidates for public office have circulated their nominating petitions on the Memorial Union Terrace. Packed with Wisconsinites, most of them in a mellow mood, the terrace is an ideal spot for would-be contenders to gather the signatures they need to earn a place on local and statewide ballots. So why was one of Madison's most experienced candidates pepper-sprayed, arrested and charged with trespassing, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest for the "crime" of being on the terrace circulating petitions for his race for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate? The explanation that UW Police have offered is not reassuring. They claim that Ben Masel was in violation of an administrative code that restricts the Memorial Union to students, staff, faculty and members, "except on occasions when, and in those areas where, the buildings or grounds are open to the general public." But the incident involving Masel took place during a hip-hop concert that had been widely advertised off campus and in local newspapers. In other words, it was precisely the sort of event where the grounds are open to the public. Of course, anyone who has been paying attention knows that candidates - - including statewide officeholders - circulate petitions on the terrace even when concerts aren't in progress. So the singling out of Masel is troubling. Even more troubling are the official descriptions of the incident, which do not paint an appealing picture of the actions taken by the officers involved in the incident. If UW and Memorial Union officials are smart, they will apologize to Masel and drop the charges. If they are really smart, they will invite him - and all other candidates who are interested in circulating nomination petitions - to gather signatures on the terrace during the period leading up to next week's filing deadline. The University of Wisconsin campus should be a safe haven for democratic discourse and participation, not a place where candidates are pepper-sprayed and arrested. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake