My One-Man Halliburton/KBR Protest

Last Friday, I posted an email I received from Halliburton and the response I gave, informing them that I would be protesting their business practices and presence at a pre-expo reception to take place at Louisiana State University. Well, here's how it went.

I never received an email back from them. Nonetheless, I planned to attend the reception; I posted a note to Facebook three days beforehand, inquiring as to if anyone would join me in protest, but no one stepped up.

It was raining Wednesday afternoon when I arrived shortly after 5:30 (starting time) to the reception. Peering into the hallway where the event was held, I could see representatives from various corporations and even departments of the US government. I decided that the most effective way to distribute flyers was to stand just outside the entrance so I could catch people as they went in.

It was going fairly well at a quarter after six, when I was approached by an LSU official from the school of engineering, discernible from a gold-plated name badge.

LSU Official: Can I see one of those? (asking for a flyer)
Me: Sure.
Official: Okay, would you leave the premises?
Me: I have the right to be here.
Official: Are you associated with this? (referring to the event)
Me: No. I'm an LSU student on the LSU campus.
Official: Why are you doing this?
Me: Because they shouldn't have the right to recruit LSU students. (referring to KBR / Halliburton)
Official: They have just as much right to be here as you do.
Me: Well then I can be here, right? (gotcha)
Official: Alright, stay here then.
Me: Oh I am.

I don't do so well with confrontations, much less when I'm alone, which is why this exchange was so ridiculous. Of course Halliburton/KBR had the right to be there; they were probably even invited. What I should have said was that they are not worthy of employing LSU students due to their history of absolute corruption. Luckily, the fellow I spoke to was either as nervous as I was or not very articulate. I went back to handing out flyers; but 15 minutes later another problem arose.

Police Officer: Are you handing out flyers?
Me: Yes sir.
Officer: Do you have permission to hand out flyers?
Me: I didn't know I had to have permission.
Officer: Yea, you have to have permission from the University. I think you go to T. Boyd and ask them.(building on campus) I'm only here because somebody called. You got anybody else out here with you?
Me: No, it's just me.
Officer: Alright. Can I see your ID?
Me: Sure.

(calls in ID over radio)

Officer: What do they have going on in there, career expo?
Me: Yea, it's a pre-expo reception. Halliburton and KBR are in there; I'm not very happy with their business practices.
Officer: Oh I can understand.

(done with the ID checking)

Officer: Yea, so you know for next time, you need to get permission from T. Boyd. Just move along for me.
Me: Alright, thanks.

Yes, the bastard apparently called the cops on me; and now I know that I have to get permission to hand out flyers. I would have gone straight away to ask, but T. Boyd was closed at that time. I've counted the flyers I have left, and I managed to give out 29. While the student turnout to the reception wasn't great, mostly due to the rain, I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't think of the permission factor beforehand.

I made the flyer with information from HalliburtonWatch.org. Download a copy.