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Monday: Condoleezza Rice and Henry Paulson, Jr. Back Out of University of Chicago Speaking Event
Occupy Chicago Invites Students, Staff, and Faculty to South Side General Assembly

CHICAGO 11/14 – Condoleezza Rice and Henry Paulson, Jr., who were scheduled to speak today at the University of Chicago, abruptly cancelled their engagement.

A short article published in the UChicago News this morning states:

“Due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict, the Nov. 14 event featuring former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. has been postponed.

The event was scheduled to take place at 7pm Monday, Nov. 14, at International House. Rice and the organizers will work to reschedule a visit to the University of Chicago at a later date.”

news.uchicago.edu/article/2011/11/14/postponement-nov-14-event-condoleezza-rice-and-henry-m-paulson-jr

Occupy Chicago and University students had called for supporters to Un-Welcome the speakers to campus.

“It looks like our Un-Welcoming campaign worked," says Colette Robicheaux, a University of Chicago student and Occupy Chicago participant. "War criminals like Rice, and those who pushed our economy to the brink of collapse, like Paulson, should face opposition wherever they go, and be held accountable for their crimes against the people of this country. They should be in jail, not on the lecture circuit."

Instead of an Un-Welcoming, Occupy Chicago will hold a celebration of the power of community action, from 6-7pm, across the street from 1414 East 59th Street, where the speaking event was scheduled to be held. At 7pm, the Occupy Chicago General Assembly will be held on the south side of Chicago for the first time. All who had planned to attend the speaking event are invited to participate.

"Hank and Condi are corporate tools who never ran for public election," says Peter Fugiel, a graduate student in sociology and Occupy Chicago participant. "As appointed representatives of big business, Paulson and Rice crafted policies that most people oppose. Now they have the nerve to tell us that they drove millions of Iraqis into refugee camps, and millions of Americans into foreclosure for our own good? We let them know their anti-democratic propaganda isn't welcome here, and they heard us loud and clear. We're bringing the Chicago General Assembly down to Hyde Park so that people whose voices can't be heard in the exclusive halls of the University can raise them in an open, democratic forum."

In similar news, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who was scheduled to appear with Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R) and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus on November 15th in Kansas, cancelled in the face of opposition from the Wichita/Hutchinson Labor Federation. Thousands of workers had planned to protest Walker’s union-busting policies.

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