Protests before Attorney General's Speech

Dickinson students and faculty members protested before the United States Attorney General Edwin Meese III's "major policy address" in ATS on Tuesday, September 17, 1985.  Meese's speech reinforced the Reagan Administration's commitment to the abolition of race and gender quotas in American society, drawing criticism from a number of college faculty members in a "teach-in" which followed the speech. Notable demonstrations included the French Department's Professor Nancy Mellerski carrying a sign reading "DOJ (Department of Justice) is a country club for fascists", which Mellerski claimed was a play on words referencing Meese's own quotes from a New York Times article in which he said "Nicaragua is fast becoming a country club for terrorists."

Chaplain Mary Anne Morefield was also a prominent demonstrator during the Attorney General's visit. She, along with four other people, dressed as corpses and laid on the ground near the front entrance to ATS in protest against the deportation of Latin American refugees by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Professor Eugene Hickok of the political science department and co-founder of the Center for the Study of the Constitution, (which was responsible for bringing Meese to the College) said he was pleased with the way the events of the day progressed, and that "I wasn't bothered by the protests... Protest is a tradition in societies where free speech is guaranteed... If we ever get the opportunity to have another high-ranking government official speak at Dickinson, I hope that it happens again."

In describing his experience at Dickinson, Meese said "It was good to be here... I enjoyed it very much." When asked about his reaction to the protests, he replied "To be honest with you, I didn't see them."