Student Hounds Prof. Running For Office

Dennis Lennox Uses Camera And Web Site To Try To Force Congressional Hopeful Gary Peters Out Of Teaching Job

(AP)  A politically conservative student armed with a video camera and a Web site is trying to force a Democratic congressional candidate out of his teaching job at Central Michigan University.

Dennis Lennox, a 23-year-old junior, has posted videos on YouTube of himself questioning assistant professor Gary Peters about campaigning for office while holding a prestigious position at the university.

Some say Lennox is persistent. Others accuse him of pandering for attention.

"What I'm doing isn't about getting media attention," said Lennox, a political science major. "I'm speaking for the hundreds of students, alumni, taxpayers and even legislators who have complained because Gary Peters won't pick between Congress and campus."

In one video Lennox posted online, Peters is seen walking to his car while Lennox asks him several questions, including whether he is angry about his campaign not getting "positive press." Peters doesn't respond.

On Thursday, Lennox said he got a letter from the university saying he had violated policies against distributing printed materials inside a campus building. A disciplinary hearing will be held if Lennox does not meet with school officials.

He had been cited for handing out fliers at a public forum moderated by the professor. "I can't believe what's going on. I'm flabbergasted my school is seeking retribution against me," said Lennox.

Peters said in an interview this week with The Associated Press that his university position is part-time and privately funded.

"The bottom line is that people who run for public office still need to pay the bills and still need to work," he said. He drives 130 miles from a Detroit suburb to Mount Pleasant to teach class once a week.

Peters, 48, is seeking the Democratic nomination to face Republican U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg in Oakland County, one of the top congressional targets for Democrats nationally in 2008.

"If I was running for Congress in a seat where I had no chance of winning, I probably wouldn't have any attention put on me at all," said Peters, a former state senator who lost a close race for Michigan attorney general in 2002.

He acknowledges it would be difficult to keep his $65,000-a-year job at the university if he gets elected to Congress, but says he will worry about that if he wins. Peters holds the Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government - named for a former Republican U.S. senator and Michigan Supreme Court justice.

Lennox helped start the group Students Against Gary Peters and created a Web site for what he calls "Petersgate." He insists that he isn't targeting Peters because he's a Democrat.

But some see it differently.

"Basically, he's just an extreme partisan. Anybody that's a Democrat, he's going to try to get at," said fellow political science major Eric Schulz.

Lennox's anti-Peters campaign shows no sign of slowing down, though his tactics have generated complaints.

Both Lennox and college Dean Pamela Gates filed police complaints against each other after Lennox requested Peters' e-mails under the Freedom of Information Act. At one point in the brief video, also posted online, Gates it seen gesturing into the camera at close range, and it then goes out of focus, as if it has been struck.

Lennox is heard saying, "Don't touch my camera," suggesting that Gates either touched it or attempted to.

Lennox said he started videotaping Gates after she refused to take the request and ordered him out of her office.

"She accosted, assaulted and battered me," Lennox said. "Whether you're a liberal or conservative, we all have to live and play by the same rules. I seemed to learn something in first grade that you keep your hands to yourself."

No charges have been filed and the university is investigating the incident. But spokesman Steve Smith said that "people get very uncomfortable when a camera is shoved in their face. Employees and students have a reasonable expectation to privacy."

When the school told Lennox he couldn't record employees or students without their permission, he filed a censorship complaint with the American Civil Liberties Union, which is reviewing it.

Peters says requiring permission before filming is reasonable when it involves students' privacy, though he stops short of saying it should apply to public figures such as himself.

"When you run for public office, you've got to have a thick skin," he said.

Peters says somewhat ruefully that he has fulfilled his job description of bringing practical politics to campus.

"Students are definitely seeing what happens when somebody runs for public office in a high-profile race, the types of things they have to confront," he said.

[gunnerv1]

Are they paying for his gas money too! Nice cush job at a Univ.

[realpatriot1]

Plenty of people have retained professorships while serving in Congress, newt Gingrich comes to mind.

This kid is stalking and harassing because he doesn''t agree with the guy''s politics.

This is how republicans like to practice democracy:stalking candidates, making harassing phone calls to voters, disrupting poll workers, challenging voters, swift-boating, Wille Horton, and on and on.

[mswolfestock]

If Dennis Lennox wants so much attention, why doesn''t he run against Gary Peters? Lennox should put his money where his mouth is. If he doesn''t run against Peters, he''s just coming off as a loud-mouthed punk. Lennox is his own worst enemey - he''s giving conservatives a bad name with his obnoxious behavior. It just proves to me that conservatives have no class and they resort to being obnoxious and rude when they don''t have anything substantial to say. Unfortunately he''s going down the same road traveled by that nasty Ann Coulter and that fat jerk Rush Limbaugh. And nobody wants to listen to them because they''re so mean-spirited and evil.

[afmca]

Oh come on ... the student Dennis Lennox is your typical Conservative ******. It is not against the law to have a job at a University AND run for office. Not all can be worthless lawyers and professional politicians. This just proves the student needs to get a life.

[signof4]

Good for you. Mr. lennox! You just know if a republican were trying to get away with this, the LAMEstream media would be doing what YOU are doing! Keep up the good fight. In the end, right will prevail.

[rosesnpearls]

There''s an awful lot of stereotyping going on in here. He''s a foolish kid creating a stir. He''s no different than the ones who protest fur or war or whatever the favorite topic is for extreme conservatives or extreme liberals. He is not the litmus test for all conservative behavior. We all need to move past the labels of Republican or Democrat and actually look at the issues that our ''party'' supports and determine whether we can tolerate supporting those issues. Decide between right and wrong, good and bad according to your personal morals and values and vote for the candidate who best represents what is most important to you, no matter what label he''s wearing.

[pepperp1]

....the GOP has attracted the weak and wounded to their sect base and sorry but it can only be called a coalition of the CREEPY they have surpassed every other descriptive shorthand sound bite and now its just YUCK.


President Bush their boy GODd has just broken another Presidential record for the highest spending increase of discretionary spending by any President since the beginning of our country in the top 5 is LBJ, Regan, Ford and Jimmy. 3 of the top five Repugs no surprise fiscally conservative my patoot, judge a party on what it does not what it claims it does. Who is he going to blame his slaves in Congress? Bush Legacy = Son of a former President who should never have held higher office, incapable and amoral who mortgaged our national security and our country to Global Corporate and Royalist Interest.

[watcher269-2009]

Lennox is a walking Pe*is - a double standards clone who believe that everything republicans due is Okay - but, God forbid a Democrat doing the same thing!!! I think someone should follow Lennox and see what his activities are - visiting the local strip clubs - dancing with the local strippers. He will probably be a local Catholic Priest someday!


Goo Lennox!

Remember - 15 seconds - 7 - 8 - 8.5........

[myidoncbs]

Lennox is typical of all of the Repugnant Ones-- he can''t win on the basis of the merits of his political positions, so he uses personal attacks instead. The fact that professor Peters has a part time job at the time he is running for office is irrelevant. It is his RIGHT to do so. Lennox is simply harassing him to try to get him to pull out of the race.

The Repugnant Ones aren''t just repugnant. They are totally despicable!

[myidoncbs]

Signof4, the "right" has prevailed for too long. Our declining standard of living, our declining prestige in the world, our dwindling democratic rights, our depraved sense of "morality" that permits torture, world war without end, the evisceration of the Constitution... all these have been brought to us by the "right", by the Bushies and NeoCons.

I''d have to say that those on the "right" are totally UnAmerican, AntiAmerican, and completely IN/SANE.

[simonsez40]

Dennis Lennox looks like a punk kid trying to make a name for himself and probably being paid by some corrupt Repug to force Peters out......got to love the Moral Base in action......

....onward Christian soldiers marching as to war....

[myidoncbs]

Someone said, "We all need to move past the [party] labels of Republican or Democrat and actually look at the issues ... Decide between right and wrong, good and bad according to your personal morals and values and vote for the candidate who best represents what is most important to you, no matter what label he''s wearing."

That sounds very nice, but the problem is that the Republican Party is the party that values LOYALTY TO THE PARTY above all else. A vote for any one republican is a vote for the WHOLE package. And the Repugs have supported murder, torture, violations of the Constitution, war crimes, crimes against International Law, etc. Their "personal morals" are utterly devoid of rationality or humanity. So, you can''t expect repug. party members to choose wisely.

ANYONE who still supports Bush & Cheney at this point in time, after all they have done to destroy the very fabric of this world, must necessarily be totally in/sane.

[toolmangler-2009]

Is this guy any relation to Floridas Meyers?

[realpatriot1]

Sign of 4,

Being from Georgia you can probably correct me if I''m wrong, I''m pretty sure that Gingrich kept his college professorship while campaigning for office and no democrat tried to pull this on him.

This is why more decent people that don''t already have a million dollars and must keep paying bills don''t want to get into politics. This is why we end up with
the creeps that we do, because of this kind of ***. Who needs it?

[toldyouso21]

Look at that kid''s face--I see shades of another neo con zealot in the making--years from now--we can gaze into his rat-like feral eyes--and no doubt he will be talking out of the side of his lipless mouth--as he eggs our country on into uglier wars, pushes the boundaries of justice and even decency and elects to be behind the scenes--manipulating a proxy as the President and proclaiming our enemies are in their last throes......lmao

[toldyouso21]

Having said that, someone getting paid $65k a year to work one day a week is an idiot if he (or she) is looking for another job. . .
Posted by tuckerndfw at 01:22 PM : Oct 25, 2007

really? even if the "other job" pays over 192,000.00 a year and essentially requires less than 3 months of work and will result in health, pension and other benefits for life? I''d say he is pretty savvy and the irony would be--if because of the harassment, he gets even more press and wins--then the Republicans can thank this little neo-numbskull for catapulting this unknown into another Congressional seat. lol

[gunnerv1]

Sic ''em dude! Also DimocRats Lied and Vietnamise Died!

[libsluvsuvs]

Posted by j-whitman at 02:31 PM : Oct 25, 2007
+ report abuse


******

I guess he should had known better..only liberals are allowed to question authority..and it must be done with toilet humor..

Liberals can see a consipiracy on a tiny little thing but they cannot see the massive reality that they are doing..

[homespunlady]

This looks like a KID that although probably close to voting age, not quite old enough to run for office.
My guess, when he finally reaches that age he''ll try.
For now he''s probably just working for the local political machine to "cut his teeth" on the "dirty tricks squad" tactics.
Anyone else notice that our youngsters are at least taking notice and TRYING to get involved in things again?
Granted some of these kids can be pretty obnoxious since they seem to have been raised in etiquette deprived environments but AT LEAST they''re noticing and getting involved!

Aside from the home-school affiliated camps and some PRIVATE SCHOOLS there''s NO real CIVICS being taught anymore and THAT has led to a mismanaged ONE-SIDED inept political leadership that''s amazingly EASY to manipulate and control.

I DON''T agree with this kids actions or attitude but I do laud his attempt to become involved.

Now, can SOMEONE mentor him on more ethical and less desperate ways of getting his point across before he tries for office?

[likeitis5050]

And they wonder why more Americans are starting to strongly dislike them .......

-------------------

Posted by parrot2

Not true...we are just able to understand not everyone who says they are ''this or that'' is actually ''this or that''....person by person assessment. That''s how grown ups do.

[homespunlady]

Hmm.. Just noticed he''s 23. Still too young for Congress but old enough to vote.

[homespunlady]

from above:Peters says somewhat ruefully that he has fulfilled his job description of bringing practical politics to campus.

"Students are definitely seeing what happens when somebody runs for public office in a high-profile race, the types of things they have to confront," he said.


Sounds to me that Assistant Professor Peters has ACCOMPLISHED what he was hired for and has definitely earned his salary.

Maybe, Lennox will take a couple of ethics and etiquette classes so he can better understand why his actions might be self-defeating.

[bm6005]

Learned his lessons well from Rove!!

[toolmangler-2009]

--then the Republicans can thank this little neo-numbskull for catapulting this unknown into another Congressional seat. lol

Posted by toldyouso21 at 03:48 PM : Oct 25, 2007



Kinda with you on this one, He must be some kin to Meyers cuz neither one knows when to shut his mouth.

[ioweign]

Some say Lennox is persistent. Others accuse him of pandering for attention.

How about stalking ??

Stalking is defined as "the willful, malicious and repeated following and harassing of another person"

[kansas1946]

If this kid is a "conservative" and was harrassing a Republican for working while he is running for office, then I might pay attention. He is doing nothing but trying to harrass someone not of his political persuasion, and labeling it, "Trying to save the tax payers money." BS
He need to harrass every encumbant, senator, house memeber, and president, for running for reelection on the taxpayers dime. He is hypocritical, and the Republicans are desparate.
********************************
Peters said in an interview this week with The Associated Press that his university position is part-time and privately funded.
************************************
I guess this little twit forgot the "privately funded" part, and even his fellow students call him "highly partisan." I think Karl Rove has a groupie here.

[kansas1946]

I guess he should had known better..only liberals are allowed to question authority..and it must be done with toilet humor.
************************
Toilet humor? I guess I missed that. Yes, liberals are notorious for questioning authority, and thank God for that. You notice where the little twit ran to when he was told he couldn''t video tape people at school. That godless, commie, left-wing, radical, ACLU. LMAO

[watcher269-2009]

Hey, Look Fox News - another commentator for you! This guy has no trouble fabricating stories. Fox needs fresh blood now anyway - all the old story lines are - well - OLD!

[prinzowhales]

Not one word about what Lennox objects to other than the fact that Peters is a Democrat.

Lennox reminds me of David Horowitz and his band of Israel-firsters who troll campuses for any sign of integrity or honesty regarding the Zionists'' apartheid abomination in occupied Palestine.

[bks59]

lennox obviously has good instruction, he brings nothing of substance, only divisive diatribe, what a good repugnicant he is becoming.

[sftodd]

You notice where the little twit ran to when he was told he couldn''''t video tape people at school. That godless, commie, left-wing, radical, ACLU. LMAO
Posted by kansas1946 at 11:51 PM : Oct 25, 2007

The ACLU is on the side of freedom and democracy, and even fascist mostly ignorant little twits know this is true. We need the ACLU!!! Thank you, Mr. Lennox for your sound endorsement of the ACLU. I encourage other patriotic Americans to join Mr. Lennox in supporting the ACLU and the values that it stands for.

[tngreen]

This Lennox guy is not reporting news, he''s engaging in harassment. I''d think that the university would be liable if they don''t try to put a stop to one of their professors being harassed on the job. It also sounds like an attempt to limit his free speech, so you have a federal charge there as well. I wasn''t aware that there was any law that says you have to resign from your job to run for a public office, so I fail to understand what the problem is anyway. Sounds like this man is merely using the professor''s accessibility to invade his privacy and harassment him unlawfully. It also sounds as if he has some sort of mental disorder, a fixation of some sort. Let''s hope he hasn''t applied for any handgun permits recently, or we may soon be reading about him in another context.

[usaprophet]

I want to report a major fire, friends. CBS isn''t reporting it. Our Constitution is on fire. And it''s currently being burned in Congress. See H.R. 1955, a.k.a., Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. I couldn''t believe it. Apparently, activists with Web sites are really begining to anger the elite insofar as they are publically holding officials accountable for their evil. The bill passed the house on Oct 23, in spite of Congressman, Ron Paul''s opposition. The right to free speech on the Internet is gone, my friends. Look it up for yourself, and weep for your country as I have that our rights have eroded this far. Here''s a short excerpt from the bill''s DEFINITIONS statement: "The development and implementation of methods and processes that can be utilized to prevent violent radicalization, homegrown terrorism, and ideologically based violence in the United States is critical to combating domestic terrorism." Here''s another excerpt from the bill''s FINDINGS statement: "The Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens." And guess who get''s to decide what is "terrorist-related propaganda?" You got it! The Department of Homeland Insecurity, an agency that''s answerable ONLY to The President. If Ron Paul isn''t elected, our country is doomed!