Challenge given to UMass Administration, Governor
New Jersey State Trooper Phil Lamonaco was murdered by members of Levasseur's terrorist organization on December 21, 1981
The widow of a slain New Jersey State Trooper as well as numerous members of many police departments and organizations are expected to be at UMass in Amherst on Thursday evening to protest the appearance of convicted terrorist Raymond Levasseur.
Levasseur was the leader of the anarchist group “United Freedom Front” whose members were responsible for over 20 bombings of historic and public buildings including the Suffolk County Courthouse during which a number of people were injured, some severely, the attempted murder of two Massachusetts State Troopers and the brutal slaying of New Jersey Trooper Phillip Lamonaco. The group funded their spree of crime and terror by committing bank robberies in excess of $200,000.
Levasseur was convicted of conspiracy and bombings and was paroled after serving less than half of a 45-year sentence. He currently remains on federal probation, living in a halfway house in Maine. When his appearance at UMass was initially announced, it resulted in an outcry by police organizations and Trooper Lamonaco’s widow that went unanswered until publicized in the media. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick intervened and the appearance was canceled.
According to WHDH, Levasseur was quietly “re-invited by a faculty group spearheaded by UMass Professor Sara Lennox”, whose 2008 salary was over $118,000.
Upon learning of the resurrection of this terrorist’s appearance, Governor Patrick said, “I am more than a little disappointed about the invitation having been extended …I fully get and respect the idea of free speech, but I think it is a reflection of profound insensitivity to continue to try to have this former terrorist on a campus, and I’m encouraging them to oppose this.”
UMass administration seems to agree with Governor Patrick, releasing a statement saying, “Originally, the event was to be sponsored by the university library and called a colloquium of social change, which included Levasseur. That event was canceled by the library in part because of the response to it.”
“We expressed our opinion, and we don’t like it. But faculty can invite who they want,” (UMass spokesman) Callahan said. “The notion of academic freedom is just that, those that teach and research here can follow any path they wish as long as it’s not illegal or unethical. Inviting an unpopular person is none of those things.”
We invite Governor Patrick and the University of Massachusetts administration and faculty to show that their statements are not just lip service, and to join us on Thursday evening to protest the distasteful and pointless glorification of a convicted sociopathic terrorist who has never shown remorse for his violent criminal acts.
