Jonathan Butler, the 25-year-old student at the University of Missouri who went on a hunger strike, is back in the news for winning the Ford Courage award on Tuesday.
Butler had decided not to eat until Mizzou President Tom Wolfe resigned, which he did, along with Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin.
Loftin praised Butler, according to CNN, saying “we owe him a lot.” Butler was part of #ConcernedStudent1950, students protesting racism at the university, and what they felt to be a lackluster response from the university.
Despite turning to tactics bound to gain notice, Butler “said he was uncomfortable with the attention, which has followed him since the resignations,” The Detroit News reported.
CNN also included part of a letter from Butler about the protests:
Butler said that “all of our struggles are united” and “nobody gets free until we all get free.” However, he comes from a privileged background himself. His father earned $8.4 million in 2014 as an executive vice president for sales and marketing for the Union Pacific Railroad. His family also has a net worth of more than $20 million.
The College Fix reported Butler may not be the best “standard bearer” for the student activists, since in addition to his wealth and privilege, he revealed unflattering information about himself in writings and videos where he has made fun of women and those less wealthy than himself.
