Tea Talks event discusses Troy Davis case, death penalty

On Thursday night, about 50 students gathered with cookies and tea to talk about the merits of the death penalty.

The event, titled “Tea Talks: A Conversation on the Troy Davis Case and Related Questions,” was an open forum held specifically to host discussion about Davis, the death penalty and the U.S. judicial system.

Davis was executed on the evening of Sept. 21 for a 1989 murder of a Georgia police officer.

Senior and event coordinator Ben Elkind said he hoped that Tea Talks would bring up a variety of opinions regarding the case.

“Lots of people have really strong opinions on a wide range of issues that relate to this case, but there is not really a space for a public conversation on it,” Elkind said.

“What we wanted to do was provide that space where people could have a conversation with somebody that maybe they don’t necessarily know.”

The discussion was split into three groups to begin the event. As the night went on, participants were free to leave one group to join another and hear even more perspectives.

Black Student Movement Secretary Alexis Davis attended the talk and said she appreciated the open environment the event created.

“I definitely did feel comfortable expressing myself,” Davis said. “It was great to see debate that didn’t get too heated.”

Rarely were voices raised, and occasional bouts of laughter broke the solemn nature inevitable to discussion of the topic at hand.

Senior John Millett, a participant in the event, said he thought the debate served to efficiently challenge his opinions and helped him see new perspectives.

When the event had run its two-hour course, the diverse crowd — one table alone seated students from four countries — dispersed.

“Tea Talks” are held monthly at the Campus Y on various topics.

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