Stop the Press! Ummm, I Don't Think So

On the 7th anniversary of September 11, Senators John McCain and Barack Obama came to Columbia University to discuss volunteerism in a national forum. Only a handful of students got picked (via ticket lottery) to attend the event so that left many of us out in the cold. I was lucky enough to get hooked up by MTV News, who asked me to cover the event.

The assignment: cover the forum from a student perspective and get reactions. Complex, in that there were about 7, 500 students crowded on the library steps, watching the speech on a JumboTron because they didn't get tickets to the actual event, which was held inside, at Lerner Hall.

I had access to the Press Room (which was really cool by the way; rows of tables with speakers and screens all around, boxed lunches and Journalists tapping away on laptops and Blackberrys and murmuring into cellphones). But even though I was part of the local Press Corps, I soon found out that all of the action was going on outside, not in the Press Room.

I was running around getting student reactions to McCain's Q & A (he spoke first, Obama was second), pen and pad in hand, stepping over and around the bodies sprawled on the lawn, when I noticed a flurry of activity out of the corner of my eye.

There, off to the side, was a guy rolling around in skates with a huge cardboard box on his head with the words SPECTATOR scrawled on the front.

Beside him were two guys who also had cardboard boxes on their heads except theirs said McCain and Obama. Both were wearing red boxing gloves and were shuffling from side-to-side, practicing jabs.

WHAT?! This was my story. I could see it now..."Politics @ Columbia University Causes Students to 'Duke' it Out"

I made a beeline for their makeshift boxing ring but as I was walking over, I noticed that the "SPECTATOR" on roller skates had disappeared and security had asked "McCain" and "Obama" to take off their costumes. There were a group of security huddled around the two men and the conversation was heated. I also noticed that there were quite a few reporters and photographers, jostling to get a good view of the "fight" that was about to go down.

I made my way over to snap a few photos but a man from campus security stepped in front of me and covered my lens.

I looked up at him, confused. "Ummm, excuse me sir, I need to talk to those gentlemen and you're kind of in my way" I said politely.

"Ma'am, you need a campus escort to talk to the students on our campus" he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Ummm, sir, no one told me that." I said, remembering the rigorous security checks I'd went through earlier that day, complete with a pat-down.

"Yes, you can't talk to our students without a campus escort" he said.

"Says who?" I inquired, respectfully.

"Ma'am that's the way it is for this event" he replied, holding out his hands.

"Oh, really? Well, what if I told you that I'm actually a student here too, who just happens to be covering the event?" I said, pulling out my Student ID.

"Oh. Well, you should still talk to the head of campus security. I'm just trying to help you ma'am, so you don't get in trouble" he said.

"Well, sir, you're not helping me. I've already been cleared to talk to the students and I need to talk to those two students over there and you're blocking my way" I said, getting angry. At this point, I noticed that campus security had taken the "McCain" cardboard box and the two students were walking away, muttering under their breath.

They were getting away and I hadn't gotten the story!

I was through dealing with this security dude. I stepped around him and ran after the two students. I felt a few others on my heels, also reporters who wanted to talk to the students.

In short, I got the story (Three 21-year-old seniors were bored watching the speech and wanted to liven things up so they went home, made costumes, and tried to cause a scene. Campus security, already on edge with all the Secret Service crawling around, didn't want any trouble so they asked the students to leave. The students were "pissed" and felt that their rights had been violated).

I felt the exact same way. I was angry at how I was treated when I tried to approach the students about what they were doing. I felt as if some members of campus security took it upon themselves to "censor" the situation, therefore not letting Press have access to the students. So both of our First Amendment Rights had been violated: Their freedom of speech and my freedom of the press.

When is it okay to "Push Back" and stand up for your rights? Was I in the wrong for pursuing the story? Were the students in the wrong for expressing their discontent? Were other media in the wrong for giving up so easily and not being persistent?

So many questions that I've yet to receive answers.

I have every intention of following up but at the time I had 2 deadlines to deal with (my MTV story and a story for class).

I'm still steamin' but I'm proud of myself for "Pushing Back" and standing up for my rights. Now if i can just get some answers as to why it happened in the first place...I'll keep you updated.

In the meantime, check out my published piece from MTV.com.