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Yiannopoulos talks at UNM, touches on immigration, progressive movement, Islam

Nikole Mckibben | January 28

After weeks of not knowing for certain whether the University would allow the event to go on as scheduled, polarizing right-wing Breitbart writer Milo Yiannopoulos was met with acceptance and some resistance inside the SUB Ballroom Friday night, where touched on immigration, Muslims in America and his distaste for the progressive movement. Yiannopoulos’ speech, titled “America Deserves Borders” was part of his country-wide “Dangerous Faggot Tour,” which has encountered opposition and, in some places, violence. Yiannopoulos cast these leftist activist and minority groups in a negative light, but last night he ensured that no one was in a bubble. The speaker is known to be a provocateur in many places.

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Local areas of worship unite to oppose Trump immigration policies

Matthew Reisen | January 28

The Islamic Center of New Mexico held a press conference Friday in reaction to President Donald Trump’s immigration and refugee restriction, calling them xenophobic. “President Trump’s recent and anticipated executive orders send a clear and unequivocal signal,” said Abbas Akhil, President of the Islamic Center. “That the bigoted and hateful rhetoric uttered during the presidential campaign has essentially transformed into devastating and very divisive policies.” Akhil said the Trump administration’s actions reflect a clear Islamophobic sentiment, one which he called “unprecedented,” citing policies that ban immigrants and refugees solely on the basis of religion.

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Yiannopoulos protesters question the line between free speech and hate speech

Matthew Reisen | January 28

Controversial right-wing writer Milo Yiannopoulos came to UNM Friday night and, along with over 200 demonstrators spurred into protesting his message. The group of protesters started by chanting “Alt-right, that’s a lie, you a nazi in disguise” as they set up shop in Cornell Mall not far from where Yiannopoulos attendees were lining up to enter the event. They carried signs saying “Immigrants, in racists out,” and “Nazis not welcome.” The attendees and protesters were separated by a large contingent of police, but that didn’t stop the numerous, sometimes heated, interactions between those coming to “shut down” Yiannopoulos and those coming to hear him out.

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#NoDAPL protests heat back up after Trump executive order

Nichole Harwood | January 26

Protesters gathered on Third Street and Lomas Boulevard in front of the Wells Fargo building to protest President Donald Trump’s executive order to reopen negotiations for the Dakota Access Pipeline. Protesters held several different bearing messages like “I stand with Standing Rock,” and “All eyes on standing rock, water is life.” David Maile, a rally organizer and member of The Red Nation, said he felt the turnout for the protest was solid. “We’re excited for the turnout because we really wanted to pull people immediately to a platform to strategically attack the Dakota Access Pipeline, and one method of doing that is to defund,” Maile said.

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SUB services to close early on Friday for Yiannopoulos event

David Lynch | January 26

On Thursday UNM announced that as a result of the large security presence that will be on hand for Milo Yiannapoulos' visit, and presumably heightened tension due to scheduled protests, some facilities and services will be shutting down earlier than normal on Friday. University officials continued to assure students and other concerned community members that, despite the event being held in a UNM venue, it isn't an official UNM event. The early closures are to ensure the safety of everyone in the area, making clear that University administration is fully aware of Yiannopoulos' controversial nature, and the heated protests that tend to erupt at his visits to college campuses.

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Campus Briefs for Jan. 26

Matthew Reisen | January 25

UNM-Valencia receives a STEM grant award, bringing a big boost to local economy According to a UNM Newsroom press release, The National Science Foundation recently awarded UNM-Valencia a grant of $1 million to provide STEM scholarships for students. The Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics grant will be dispersed over the next five years to provide a minimum of 15 scholarships a year for students who have financial need and are majoring in science, mathematics, engineering or information technology at the branch campus, according to the press release. “I am pleased that UNM-Valencia has been awarded the NSF Scholarship grant.

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Yiannopoulos speech still on, despite safety concerns

Gabriela Garcia-Huff and Nikole Mckibben | January 25

The upcoming talk by alt-right speaker Milo Yiannopoulos on UNM campus, part of his “Dangerous Faggot Tour,” has been a controversial and hotly discussed topic for students lately. Several student groups and individuals have taken it upon themselves to protest the provocative nature of Yiannopoulos’ political views and ultimately shut down the event. The event organizers, from the University’s College Republicans and Young Americans for Liberty, have been working to promote their value of free speech throughout this entire process. Ryan Ansloan, a member of both groups, said he fears the possible actions of groups who disagree with Yiannopoulos’ political ideologies.

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Free speech issues discussed at panel

Cathy Cook | January 25

Dean of Students Nasha Torrez hosted a panel on free speech rights on Wednesday in the SUB atrium. The event came in the wake of major pushback from the UNM community over controversial speaker Milo Yiannopoulos, as well as a report filed by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, stating that parts of UNM’s speech code violated the First Amendment. The panel featured Greg Williams, an attorney who specializes in free expression laws, Marty Esquival, an attorney who specializes in media law and is also an expert on free speech, Eliza Bechtold, the legal director for ACLU New Mexico, and Debbie Morris, the Student Activities Center director.

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New Mexico could benefit from legalization of recreational marijuana, expert says

Robert Salas | January 25

With a budget crisis confronting the New Mexico Legislature, some legislators plan to float a controversial idea gaining momentum across the nation: Legalize the adult use of recreational marijuana, or cannabis. Adult recreational use is now allowed in eight states plus the District of Columbia, and more than 25 already authorize it for medicinal purposes. And in 2016, after three years of being bogged down in Senate committees, an effort to legalize recreational use in New Mexico made it to the Senate floor for a vote.

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Advancing Women in Science group asks UNM to be accountable with Yiannopoulos visit

Cathy Cook | January 24

Another UNM student organization has sent a letter to UNM administrators expressing concern over Milo Yiannopoulos’s speaking engagement on campus this Friday. Advancing Women in Science wrote the letter — which was signed by 300 other students and other University community members — on Monday morning. “One of our goals is to take action against sexism on campus,” AWS Co-President Andrea Chavez said. “We wrote this letter to raise our concerns about the importance of the University’s role in providing an intellectual space for students to be exposed to and to engage in key controversial debates of our time. It is the responsibility of the University to ensure that speakers — and the groups that bring them — are not engaging in hate speech or harassment, endangering or marginalizing students, or stifling productive discussion.”

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Governor nominates pair of new regents

David Lynch | January 24

Governor Susana Martinez has nominated two appointees with business backgrounds to the UNM Board of Regents, pending Senate committee approval. Following confirmation, Don Tripp and John Ryan – both Republicans – would replace current Regents Jack Fortner and Bradley Hosmer. The transition would spell an end of an era of sorts for the board, as Fortner has served in the seat since 1998, having been appointed to successive terms by three different governors. According to a UNM release, Tripp graduated from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. He has served in the state legislature, and was speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives from 2015 to 2017, according to the release.

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Acting UNM Prez: Banning Milo would detract from role of the university

David Lynch | January 24

In response to ongoing pressure by student groups and local activist organizations looking to “shut down” the Friday visit by Milo Yiannopoulos, interim UNM President Chaouki Abdallah offered his two cents in his weekly University-wide communique, explaining in the process why he is not electing to cancel the event. Abdallah doesn’t mince words when discussing Yiannopoulos’ rhetoric in the emailed message. Without referring to him by name – but instead “controversial speaker” – Abdallah suggests that the conservative Breitbart writer will distribute messages that contrast the University’s mission. “He will use the platform to personally denigrate specific members of our campus, to sow division and to attack many values that we hold dear,” he wrote.

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Column: So Trump is President - now what?

Fin Martinez | January 23

January 20th was the day that many feared. It was at 11:30 a.m., on Pennsylvania Ave, in the rain that Donald Trump was sworn in as President of the United States. Some cheered, some cried, others expressed smug superiority and some contorted with anguish. The 2017 Inauguration was a historic day, regardless of which side you’re on. Even before President Trump put his hand on the bible protests, resistance and rage gripped the streets of D.C., and so began the wave of protests and demonstrations that would sweep the nation and the globe from D.C. to Los Angeles, to Berlin, Germany and Sydney, Australia.

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UNM partners with Air Force to help STEM students

Cathy Cook | January 22

UNM and the Air Force Research Laboratory are working together to encourage STEM students to pursue internships and plan for careers. The UNM and AFRL mentoring program, which began in fall 2015, is accepting applications for this semester until January 30th. Tara Hackel, who helped create the program, said it pairs scientists who work at AFRL with UNM students to support students with an interest in STEM — the fields of science, technology, engineering and math — to help scientists build their leadership skills. The program was created by the STEM Collaborative Center and AFRL to build a pathway for students interested in internships at the Air Force labs, Hackel said. “I’m coming from an engineering background, and being one of the few women in my field and a first year student it was really hard to find mentors that I could relate to that understood what I was going through,” she said.

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Monday on the Street: Hopes for 2017

Matthew Reisen | January 22

What are your hopes for 2017?

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On this date in UNM history...

Daily Lobo Staff | January 22

A look back at the importance of January 23 over the years, as told through Daily Lobo coverage. 

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Socialist party takes part in anti-Trump organizing

Brendon Gray | January 22

“The people united will never be divided,” protesters shouted as they marched down Central Avenue Friday evening. The Inauguration Day protest, organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation of New Mexico, began around 5:30 pm and ran in coordination with the party’s national march in Washington, D.C. The demonstration, which attracted about 70 people, grew out of a desire “to inaugurate the resistance to Trump and his agenda,” said PSL Chair Chris Banks. “We believe that from day one we needed to come out and make a statement that we weren’t going to be afraid. That we were going to stand up and defend our communities and continue to struggle against war and racism and poverty,” Banks said.

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Thousands of ABQ women march against Trump

Matthew Reisen | January 22

Susan Schuurman woke up on the first day of the Trump presidency to snow, wind and hail. But later she found herself bathed in sunlight as the Women’s March began in downtown Albuquerque. “It’s like God was speaking,” Schuurman said. “‘She was blessing our efforts today.” An estimated 10,000 people came out for the demonstration in Civic Plaza on Saturday to hear a list of speakers, including City Councilor Diane Gibson. “I am so proud and honored and humbled to be in your presence,” Gibson said. “This is just half of us, because we sent the other half to Washington.”

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Event offers unity on day of division

Elizabeth Sanchez | January 22

This past Friday was historic and divisive in many ways, as Americans both welcomed and rejected Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States. However, for the LGBTQ Resource Center, African American Student Services, American Indian Student Services, BeKind UNM and other campus groups, this was the perfect opportunity for hosting “Honoring Culture: Advancing Social Justice.” El Centro de la Raza Student Programs Specialist Armando Bustamante said the idea to organize the event was sparked while he and a group of students watched the 2016 presidential election results.

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Despite occasional flareup of tension, anti-Trump rally at UNM remains peaceful

Matthew Reisen | January 21

UNM students, led by the Young Progressives Demanding Action, staged a walkout protesting the inauguration of Donald Trump on Friday. A group of over 100 students gathered in Cornell Mall before a podium that displayed the caricature of Trump and the words “Chale Con Trump.” “This is a rally to empower others to go against Trumpism and fight for the rights of individuals that he has so constantly ignored during his campaign,” said Nathan Siegel, president of UNM YPDA. “We hope, by the end of this, that we will do just that.” Siegel said the rally is one of encouragement, so participants can feel empowered in protecting human rights.