By Lizzie Ramirez
Nevada Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto visited the University of Nevada, Reno, on Thursday for the second “Discussions in Democracy” event. The talk was quickly interrupted—not once, but four times—by protesters claiming Cortez Masto is “compliant” in the genocide of Palestinians.
The event was hosted at the Harlan O. & Barbara R. Recital Hall, with the theater almost full. Upon entering, guests were greeted by news cameras and security guards. The four attendees who interrupted Masto all sat in the back, wearing masks and recording on their phones.
The intention of the discussion was for Cortez Masto, UNR President Brian Sandoval, Nevada Independent editor-in-chief Jon Ralston and Vanessa Vancour, language access coordinator for the Secretary of State, to speak about the importance of the Latino student vote and engagement in democracy.
The first 30 minutes of the event proceeded as scheduled. Cortez Masto spoke about being the first Latina senator in Congress, Sandoval reminisced about being the first Latino Republican governor, and Ralston and Vancour asked questions vetted by the Latino community.
“It’s not just passion. People are dying.”
That was until the first student began speaking out against Cortez Masto. Ralston asked a question an attendee submitted: “There’s a group on campus that denies the United States is a democracy. How do you respond to those who insist on not calling America a democracy?”
“We need people in government who absolutely believe in good government,” Cortez Masto started to explain. “Do not get frustrated. Run for office. Get involved, be engaged—that is our system of democracy, and that’s how it was set up by our Founding Fathers.”
While she was giving a brief history the Founding Fathers, one individual began speaking over her—not loudly, but just enough for the audience to notice. Once the individual mentioned Israel, faculty approached the student to tell him he was disrupting the conversation.
“Please, please be respectful,” Ralston announced. “I know people have strong feelings about certain issues, but please be respectful.”
This sparked other protesters to shout from the audience. However, their shouts were muffled as Vancour began to speak over them. “If you have some information you’d like to share or a question you’d like to ask, please look for one of our team members, who can offer you a card if you’d like to be part of the dialogue,” she said.
Attendees were encouraged to use note cards to ask questions that could possibly be answered by Cortez Masto and Sandoval.
Roughly 10 minutes later, another protester spoke out about the Israel-Hamas war.
“Be a part of the process. Be a part of our government, because that’s how it was created,” Cortez Masto said before another attendee spoke out.
“The process of killing innocent Palestinians…” the protester began saying before she was interrupted by the moderators. The protester claimed Cortez Masto helped strengthen economic ties between the U.S. and Israel.
“To kill innocent Palestinian children, to kill my people. There’s no reason for you to be sitting here talking about democracy and saying you care about people of color,” the protester continued once the moderator finished speaking.
Faculty and security told the protestor she was interrupting the event and had to leave. The protester complied, standing up and arguing with Ralston as she exited.
“Please respect the audience,” Ralston said.
“Respect the people who are being murdered,” the protester responded as she left the aisle. She alleged that “our tax dollars” are being used to fund the genocide.
Cortez Masto quickly responded after the protester was escorted out. “Can I say the democracy that I just fought for allows for that type of protest, and that’s what I believe in?” she said. The audience erupted in applause, which lasted for a few seconds before yet another protester spoke out. Ralston attempted to calm the protester but was unsuccessful.
“Please, please, we understand you feel passionately about this,” Ralston said.
“It’s not just passion. People are dying,” the protester responded. The protester willingly left once security approached.
Ralston then redirected the conversation, asking Cortez Masto and Sandoval about misinformation and disinformation circulating in the media and how they combat it. This led to a long conversation about what the media allegedly does right and wrong. According to Cortez Masto, there’s “more bipartisan work being done in Congress than you even know about because it doesn’t make the national news.”
She claimed that if the work isn’t “sensational” enough, it won’t get viewership. This conversation about whether national media is ethical or not sparked two more protesters to speak out.
“No one ever seems to answer why the United States is funding an ongoing ethnic cleansing in Palestine,” another individual said. Again, security and faculty approached the individuals. One faculty member muttered, “Why don’t you call our office or visit us?”
“We call, we vote, but no one ever listens,” the protester responded. “So we have to come here and talk to you directly.”
Once the protester was escorted out, Sandoval shared his thoughts on the impact media has on the political sphere today. He said he believes state and local media do a “good job,” but national media “not so much.”
