PEPPER SPRAY VS. DEMOCRACY

For as long as anyone can remember, candidates for public office have
circulated their nominating petitions on the Memorial Union Terrace.

Packed with Wisconsinites, most of them in a mellow mood, the terrace
is an ideal spot for would-be contenders to gather the signatures they
need to earn a place on local and statewide ballots.

So why was one of Madison's most experienced candidates
pepper-sprayed, arrested and charged with trespassing, disorderly
conduct and resisting arrest for the "crime" of being on the terrace
circulating petitions for his race for the Democratic nomination for
the U.S. Senate?

The explanation that UW Police have offered is not reassuring.

They claim that Ben Masel was in violation of an administrative code
that restricts the Memorial Union to students, staff, faculty and
members, "except on occasions when, and in those areas where, the
buildings or grounds are open to the general public."

But the incident involving Masel took place during a hip-hop concert
that had been widely advertised off campus and in local newspapers. In
other words, it was precisely the sort of event where the grounds are
open to the public.

Of course, anyone who has been paying attention knows that candidates
- - including statewide officeholders - circulate petitions on the
terrace even when concerts aren't in progress.

So the singling out of Masel is troubling. Even more troubling are the
official descriptions of the incident, which do not paint an appealing
picture of the actions taken by the officers involved in the incident.

If UW and Memorial Union officials are smart, they will apologize to
Masel and drop the charges.

If they are really smart, they will invite him - and all other
candidates who are interested in circulating nomination petitions - to
gather signatures on the terrace during the period leading up to next
week's filing deadline.

The University of Wisconsin campus should be a safe haven for
democratic discourse and participation, not a place where candidates
are pepper-sprayed and arrested.