The crowd of more than 200 had gathered at noon in the school's recruiting room, in the bowels of the stadium, about half of them students, overwhelmingly opposed to the $6 million deal, the other half largely GEO employees, who knew on which side their bread was buttered.
UPDATE:
Perhaps the worst consequence of Saunders's moral myopia is its instructional value.
Exiting the forum, on the broad sidewalk outside the stadium, one came upon a group of young male students, chuckleheaded jockos hawking t-shirts, $15 a pop. On the shirts' fronts, black letters on orange read "Owlcatraz." On their backs was inscribed "Prisoner number such-and-such" and similar faux data, making mockery of the GEO Group's grim business.
"We thought we'd capitalize on the occasion," one told us. "It's a way to begin a new tradition."
"Aren't you troubled by the university's association with a notorious human rights abuser?" we asked.
"Every large corporation's going to have a few black marks," he replied.
There's your cynical lesson well learned, President Saunders: Take the money and run.
Fire Ant -- an invasive species, tinged bright red, with an annoying, sometimes-fatal bite -- covers Palm Beach County. Got feedback or a tip? Contact [email protected].