For the past 13 days, Princeton University has become the center of national political controversy, as a group of students have staged a filibuster of sorts outside the university's Frist student center.
The students, faculty and other supporters are protesting against the proposal of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., to invoke the so-called nuclear option, which would prevent members of the Senate from using the filibuster to block the President's judicial nominees. Senate Democrats have so far blocked 10 of Bush's 208 nominees.
Following the example of real Senate filibusters, the group has given speeches around the clock, filling time by reading "Star Wars" dialogue and the Princeton telephone book.
Frist, along with his family, provided over $20 million to build the Frist center. Frist graduated from Princeton in 1974 and is also on the board at the university.
Students insist that their disapproval is unrelated to Frist's character or politics.
"If the other party were doing the same thing we wouldn't be in favor of it either," senior Jason Vagliano said. "Changing the rules to win the game, that's what this is about."
Vagliano, who has become one of the organizers of the filibuster, emphasized the nonpartisan nature of the demonstration, and said that members of both major political parties have shown their support.
"They both agreed that his filibuster as a check and balance needs to be retained. It's a protection of a minority party," Vagliano said.
The students and faculty involved in the filibuster have received support from around the country, and even got an encouraging telephone call from students in Thailand. Students at the University of Texas also called to voice their support, contributing to the filibuster by reading over the phone.
"It's something that really concerns everyone," Vagliano noted. "It's quite serious."
Though Vagliano insists that most students are in favor of the filibuster, Princeton junior Michael Kenneally said that he would like the protesters to provide a more convincing argument for their actions.
"I think it's great that they're committed to this issue. I applaud their political activism and interest. I think however that they have failed really to engage the issue itself," he said. "It's possible that someone at some point in time has brought up the issue, but it hasn't been the main thrust of their actions as far as I can tell."
Kenneally agreed that the issue is in theory nonpartisan, but questioned whether the filibusterers and counter-protesters are not aligned based on political leanings. According to Kenneally, an informal poll showed that most of the students who were involved in the filibuster had voted for John Kerry in last year's election, while the majority of those opposed to the protest had voted for President Bush.
"I'm a little skeptical, because most of the time I've been [at the filibuster] the political bend has been pretty skewed to the left," Kenneally said.
The students have run into relatively few logistical problems during the 13 days of outdoor demonstration. Issues involving a permit arose in the first two days, but the group obtained the necessary paperwork and was allowed to continue the filibuster. Both Vaglaino and Princeton English professor Jeff Nunokawa agreed that the university's administration has not attempted to hinder the event. According to Vagliano, campus security has even been helpful, providing the students with a direct-line walkie-talkie should a safety issue arise.
"The administration I think is absolutely exemplary in its sense of the right of the students to assemble and speak freely," Nunokawa said, adding that the administration "has been as it should be, rigorously uninvolved."
Nunokawa, who was hesitant to become involved in a campus political event, read from "To Kill a Mockingbird" in front of the Frist Center Wednesday.
"I've never done it before, but I decided I would because indeed it was something of an emergency," Nunokawa said of his participation.
While Nunokawa supports the students' efforts, he stressed that the filibuster is not meant to condemn Frist or his ideologies. "This is by no means an expression of ingratitude or disrespect to Senator Frist or those who hold like views," he said.
Nunokawa also refuted statements that Frist's proposal was against the ideals of the university. "It's a perfectly reasonable thing to want to limit debate. If by ideals of the university one means the free flow of ideas, that is not the point of the filibuster," he said.
The students plan to end the Frist filibuster Tuesday. However, Vagliano said that the protest will continue in a different form, though he would not discuss specifics. The organizers of the filibuster are currently raising money for what they are calling "Phase 2" of the protest, and have collected over $3,700 towards their $5,000 goal.
