Each time Student Senate gathers for their weekly meeting, it always begins with an open forum. This week’s meeting was no exception.

Annie Titus, a fifth-year English rhetorics of science, technology and culture student, began the open forum.

Titus said that overall, she is pleased with how the students at UW-Eau Claire have reacted to the racist Snapchat incident from two weeks ago. 

Titus then called Student Senate to action, asking senators to recognize and ensure new or visiting students know that the university is located on indigenous grounds. 

Titus said she envisioned some type of art could recognize that fact, although she did not give any specific ideas.

Next, Kayde Langer, an on-campus senator who uses non-binary pronouns, took the floor to give a speech on the history of Thanksgiving. 

“Thanksgiving wasn’t made an official holiday until Lincoln declared it to be one — not too long after he wrongfully executed 38 Dakota warriors for protecting their people. I want to bring you back even further to 1637.”

Langer continued their speech. 

“A body of a colonizer was found and so the colonizer village massacred 700 Pequot men, women and children, and this massacre led to the creation of what is now known as Thanksgiving Day. When you celebrate Thanksgiving, that is what you are celebrating.”

Langer said only indigenous peoples have the right to reclaim the holiday, but even if they did, Thanksgiving would still have the same history.

“The foundation that this holiday (lies) on, that foundation is the genocide of indigenous people,” Langer said. 

Langer said their heritage is continually disrespected by the administration on this campus and that indigenous peoples are viewed not as people, but as animals. 

“You can put up the flags of Wisconsin tribal nations,” Langer said, “you can give us indigenous peoples day and a celebration, you can give us our powwow, but none of that matters if you do not acknowledge and respect our existence and our histories.”

Once open forum concluded, Student Senate voted on the following three bills:

• 63-B-3 — Updating University Activities Commission’s cabin and Concert bylaws, combining committee chairs. Senators Mary Stoutenberg, Lauren Becker and David Miller all spoke in favor of this bill during the speaker’s list.
• 63-B-5 — Adopting the new Student Senate logo. Senators Travis DuChene and Grace Luloff both spoke in support of the new logo during the speaker’s list.
• 63-B-7 — Forming the Blu Managerial Ad Hoc Committee. Senators Jackie Buttafuoco, Joe Murphy and Luke Schowalter all spoke upholding this new committee during the speaker’s list. 

All three bills were approved unanimously. 

Hagmann can be reached at [email protected].