A Celebration of Civil and Human Rights

Exactly how free are Americans, really? Two dozen student, administrative and faculty organizations at Rutgers-Newark and NJIT have once again organized an event designed to make participants re-evaluate their perceptions of freedom and equality. RightsNight 2006 events will take place the week beginning Feb. 27 and culminate on March 1 with a full day of activities, including a Marathon Reading of Testimony, a dance troupe performance, and a lively Awareness Concert. All RightsNight activities are free and open to the public.

The purpose of the event, first held in 2004, is to “celebrate civil liberties and human rights past and present” as well as to educate and inspire students, faculty, staff, and public, according to Dr. Janet Larson, associate professor of English at R-N and coordinator of the RightsNight Committee. Read more.

RightsNight 06 will begin on February 27th with keynote speaker Chaplain James Yee , a third generation Chinese-American from New Jersey and West Point graduate accused of espionage and spying.   Chaplain Yee will talk about racial profiling and his 76 days in prison before being reinstated and honorably discharged from the army.   He will speak at two separate venues: first at 11:30 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. in the NJIT Campus Center Atrium , NJIT and then from 2:30 p.m. to 3:50 p.m. in 220 Smith Hall, 101 Warren Street, Rutgers University, Newark campus.

Click here for the biography of Chaplain James Yee.

RightsNight 06 Schedule of Events

Monday, February 27th   

Keynote speaker Chaplain James Yee, former Muslim U.S. Army Chaplain at Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba , will talk about his harrowing experiences and racial profiling. Two times:

                        11:30 am–12:50 pm     NJIT Campus Center Atrium

                        2:30–4:00 pm               Smith Hall 220, R-N

7:30 pm - Stonsby Commons (R-N)

Screening of Brothers and Others, documentary telling the stories of innocent Muslims and other immigrants rounded up after 9/11.

Post-film discussion led by Prof. Janet Larson (English Dept.)

Tuesday, February 28th

11:30 am to 7 pm -“R” Place, Paul Robeson Campus Center (R-N)

“Eyes on the Prize,” historic footage of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements as they evolved.

Continuous screening, with break for panel (below).

2:30–4pm - Hill Hall 106 (R-N)

“RIGHTS NOW!” panel discussion addressing current domestic spying issues, immigrant detainee and student rights, suppression of dissent, and the Patriot Act.

Panelists: Prof. Frank Askin (R-N Law School), Dr. Flavia Alaya (NJ Civil Rights Defense Committee), Shane Kadidal (Center for Constitutional Rights), Prof. Rob Snyder (R-N Journalism), followed by student respondents and audience discussion.

7:30 pm, Stonsby Commons Lounge

Screening of “The Torture Question,” a PBS Frontline documentary exploring controversy over how the U.S. is treating suspects and captives in the “global war on terrorism.”

Post-film discussion led by Prof. Eileen Sullivan (Political Science Dept.).

Wednesday, March 1st

2:30–5:30 pm - Robeson Center 1st floor lounge

MARATHON READING OF TESTIMONY on Civil Liberties and Human Rights, past and present, by students, faculty, staff, and guests.

Speakers:   Prof. Jim Pope (R-N Law School, labor rights), Prof. Suzanne Goldberg (R-N Law, women's and gay rights), Prof. Randi Mandelbaum (R-N Law Child Advocacy Clinic), Jean Pierre Kamwa (Cameroon political asylee ), Maha Kabbash (American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee), Dr. Cheryl Clarke (Dir. Diverse Community Affairs and Lesbian-Gay Concerns, R-NB)

5:30–? - FOOD, MUSIC, and ENTERTAINMENT in the Robeson Campus Center.

SPONSORS OF RIGHTSNIGHT 06

Rutgers-Newark School of Law

Dana Library

Honors College

Women's Studies Program

Campus Housing Office

Institute on Ethnicity, Culture, and the Modern Experience

Political Science Dept.

History Dept.

Philosophy Dept.

English Dept.

Association of Black Faculty and Staff

Graduate English Program

Graduate Student Governing Association

Student Governing Association (R-N)

English Club

Rutgers Acts for Peace and Justice

A.W.A.R.E.

Black Organization of Students

Muslim Student Association

Jewish Student Organization

Amnesty International (NJIT Chapter)

Graduate Student Association (NJIT)

Student Governing Association (NJIT)

New Jersey Civil Rights Defense Committee

Women of Color and Allies, Essex County Chapter of NOW

American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee

Dept. of Urban Education

Dept. of Visual and Performing Arts

   . . . and counting . . .

February, 2006