Stephanie Platt The Current

Darwin Butler confronts students objecting to the presence of KDNL-TV at the Executive Forum, Oct. 13. Reporter Jean Shepherd and videographer Carol Lawrence were ultimately allowed into the meeting with Butler's insistence.

by Cory Blackwood
and Joe Harris
staff editors

Tempers flared at Wednesday's Executive Forum discussing the recnt actions of Darwin Butler, president of the Student Government Association.

Butler has been under fire recently after The Current reported he had been convicted in April 1999 of felony stealing and credit device fraud. Students supporting Butler, as well as students supporting Butler's impeachment, attended the meeting.

With proponents of both sides in the same room, the conversation became heated at times. Many students resorted to making statements of their own views instead of asking questions. Butler interrupted student's questioning and raised his voice repeatedly at students, sometimes even screaming at them. He also interrupted students three times in mid-question asking for a drink of water.

Reporters from KDNL-TV also entered the meeting creating even more confusion. Organizers thought the meeting should be closed to non-student media, but relented after a five-minute discussion.

During the questioning, Butler referred to his conviction with, "I'm greedy; America breeds greed. I'm serious here. That is the truth. The truth is I was greedy."

Butler interrupted one student's question by with, "I'm going to do what I feel," and answered another student's question with "I don't care how the administration feels about me."

Some students expressed concern about Butler's attendance at required meetings. Butler acknowledged that he hasn't been to every one but said he does the best he can.

Butler was asked if he could be trusted with the money he is directly in charge of as SGA president since he has a conviction for theft. Butler said there were channels he had to go through before any money is spent.

"I've got to go through Rick Blanton [director of Student Activities]. I've got to go through Dr. Grace [vice-chancellor of Student Affairs]," Butler said. "I can't spend no money."

Despite the differences in opinion, Butler said he was comfortable with the meeting's outcome.

"I think that it went pretty well," Butler said. "The students got a chance to voice their opinion. I got a chance to vent a little bit on some issues that I had to vent on, but obviously what we have here is a perceptual problem, some cultural differences, and some communication problems. People here expect something of someone and maybe I'm not willing to conform to their expectations."

Gina Williams, a sophomore majoring in mass communications, president of the Associated Black Collegians and SGA co-chair of the election committee, said that the meeting was not warranted.

"I think they should just leave Darwin Butler alone," Williams said. "He has not done anything whatsoever unconstitutional in regards to his presidential election. I don't think we should have done this, [and] I think it was a waste of time."

Williams felt that this was a racial issue, and that the campus as a whole was acting on a racial stereotype. Williams also felt that Butler was being targeted specifically because of his race.

"UM-St. Louis is a racist institution regardless of what this has to do with Darwin Butler," Williams said. "I believe that Darwin Butler is doing an excellent job as SGA president."

Les Owens, a senior majoring in political science, said that as an African-American male himself, race is always an underlying issue whether or not it influences how a person acts or behaves.

"If anyone has an idea that African-American males are bullies, or they are loud and not well spoken, things of that sort, then Darwin Butler has proven that for us," Owens said.

Aaron Farmer, a sophomore majoring in political science, said the meeting was necessary. Farmer said Butler deserves to be impeached.

At the meeting, Farmer questioned Butler's attendance at meetings and his overall representation of the students.

"The SGA president in the past has represented the student body. Darwin does not do that," Farmer said. "That alone is grounds enough for impeachment."

Farmer did not see it as a racial issue, saying, "I think this is sick that we have to reduce this to racism."

Michael Rankins, graduate student and former SGA vice-president, said that through all of the confusion some issues did come out.

"What I heard was that people feel that Darwin is not representing the students," Rankins said. "That's what I think I was hearing. Since representing the students is part of his job description, I suppose that could be a matter of some concern."

Butler left the meeting at 3 p.m. saying he had to leave. After the meeting Butler continued his aggressive approach towards students when he entered in a discussion with several people including Aaron Kohrs, a senior majoring in music education, in the hallway. One student asked Butler not to yell so often.

"I got a hearing problem, that's why I yell. I got to hear myself," Butler said. "No, really, I can't, what? I can't hear you."

As Butler put his ear toward the woman's mouth, Kohrs commented to Butler on his manners and asked him to be respectful.

"What you may call disrespect, maybe I don't," Butler said.

After further conversation between Butler and Kohrs, Kohrs said that Butler should treat a lady like a lady.

"Now don't come off on me like that," Butler said. "I'm going to do what I want to do."

The meeting was arranged by the Executive Forum. It was headed by Dennis Rauscher, president of the Executive Forum, and mediated by Sarah Kraus, president of Manheim Park. The Executive Forum is designed toinvolve all campus organizations in current issues affecting the campus. This meeting was meant to be a question and answer session between Butler and students regarding recent events affecting Butler's office.