Last Thursday, members of the Hopkins and greater Baltimore communities gathered in silent protest in response to the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, which occurred on Aug. 9 in Ferguson, Mo. Positioned around the Keyser Quad, dozens of protesters — organized by the Hopkins Black Student Union (BSU) — stood united in deafening silence, carrying signs that challenged spectators’ understanding of police brutality. Traveling around Gilman Hall and then down to N. Charles Street, the demonstrators peacefully forced those passing by to pay attention to their cause and to ask questions about how the Brown shooting affects the rest of society.
While some questioned the relevance of the protest given its six-week removal from the inciting event, the Editorial Board approves of the deferred timing. The shooting of Michael Brown is not an isolated event, and the discussion should not stop after less than two months. We believe that the BSU’s approach to eliminating indifference to this issue is not only effective, but also provocative enough to potentially lead to similar events at Hopkins in the future.
The Editorial Board would like to commend the BSU and all of the participants in the protest for creating such a powerful and well-attended exhibition of political speech. Never in any of our memories has there been a protest or rally at Hopkins with such a profound presence. We recognize all of the participants who contributed their time, effort and passion to promote awareness for an issue that spans national and global interests. In particular, the Editorial Board found it inspiring to see protesters from so many different backgrounds. Seeing the interaction between students, professors and local Baltimoreans, all of varying ages and races, as they walked in unison around campus was powerful, and we’d like to see similar levels of civic engagement in the future.
This protest was awe-inspiring in its tactful methods and precise organization. It is our hope that in the future, more students will engage in similar civic demonstrations for causes that they care about. All too often, Hopkins students are too busy to be bothered with standing up for their beliefs. Student demonstrations are often lackluster and consist of a few students holding signs on the Breezeway or on the Beach. This protest was certainly not that; it was a well-organized, unignorable statement that caught the eyes of any who walked by. It is our sincere hope that subsequent student protests will follow suit, demonstrating keen organization and potent execution that leaves passersby with the same levels of continuing ponderance as this past BSU protest did.
