Did you know that today is Day of Action?
That's right. Today universities all over the nation are walking out, demonstrating, chanting, and occupying university buildings to protest tuition increases and cuts in public education. Of course, the University of California campuses are hopping today-especially at Berserkeley, where about one thousand Democrats and future Democrats are demanding an end to tuition and God only knows what else.
"Whose university?"
"Our university!"
Here is an excerpt from the Daily Californian (Berkeley live blog):
1:36 p.m.
Now, about 600 protesters are partaking in the sit-in at Doe, some slamming on desks and others chanting "Whose university, our university."
"This is how we take our university back," said student organizer Eric Garcia.
Protesters said they plan to sit-in until 5 p.m. by which time they hope Chancellor Robert Birgeneau will respond to their demands.
Meanwhile, police are standing outside the entrances to the North Reading Room and about 70 demonstrators have gathered outside as well, some performing a traditional Filipino dance.
"We've come out today because our community has experienced decreased enrollment," said Alex Tan, Filipino-endorsed ASUC senator. "These cuts are in the context of 100 years of history of having our voices and bodies devalued in institutional spaces. We are here in support of access to education and are in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who experienced any form of institutional racism, homophobia and patriarchy. We're doing a traditional Filipine dance - we will have different traps to catch birds and these poles as they nip at our heels are representing the university cuts that are affecting our community and the trappings of a privatized university."
I missed the one at noon at UC-Irvine. Why? I never knew about it until someone called. Of course, UCI is no Berkeley-as one dissenting voice apparently yelled at protesters who were grouped in front of the Administration building.
"Students. United. We'll never be divided!"
Apparently, the unhappy rich kids were also protesting the "suspension" of the Muslim Student Union among other things. They apparently never got the word about Alkalima.
Here are some photos from New University (Irvine) as well as an excerpt from their live blog.
12:38 p.m.
After being denied amplified sound due to other activities at the student center using sound, the protest starts with a small but intimate crowd of students listening to a mix of speeches and spoken word. Speakers specifically attack the lack of faculty or administrators present, as well as the spending on Afghanistan. Oct. 7 also happens to mark the anniversary of the start of the war in Afghanistan. One of the chants started: “We want money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation.”
No word as yet from Santa Cruz (America's Wackiest University). Maybe the telephone lines were cut.
Update...update...update...update...update....update.....update....update....update...
Here is the latest breaking news from the UC Santa Cruz City on a Hill campus newspaper:
8 comments:
This is an endemic American illness. Everyone wants what they want, and figures someone else will find the means to pay for it, or purchase the bonds.
Of course the students now have models to emulate, not only among the decrepit dregs of post 60s "activism," but among the most "conservative" political doldrums in the land.
Let's be real, all of us. We can't lower tuition without
(a) increasing tax support, or,
(b) cutting programs (or administration - which as Gary has pointed out there may be ample room for), or,
(c) cutting courses, labs, supplies, equipment, transporation budgets, overseas programs, etc., or
(d) increasing funding from some other source, whether taxpayers, alumni, or other donors, or
(e) some combination of all of the above.
Similarly, we can't cut state and national budget deficits unless we
(a) raise taxes, or
(b) cut programs, or
(c) increase fees (including tuition), or,
(d) some sensible combination of the above.
In particular, we can't cut taxes and deficits at the same time, without some very specific proposals for budget lines to cut, and hard numbers on how much that would really save.
Finally, everyone please remember, much as I love a good Bill Clinton joke, he was the ONLY president in my lifetime to generate a federal budget surplus and BEGIN paying down the national debt, until the little boy who succeeded him in the White House decided to "give the surplus back to the people" while doubling the debt. (I recently read he had advice from Alan Greenspan that "surpluses are a problem" to be eliminated by increased spending).
....and that reminds me of the Chicago Cubs, who last won a pennant in 1945.......
You're slipping Gary... it was 1906.
Siarlys,
No, you have slipped completely. The Cubs won the 1945 pennant and lost the World Series to the Tigers in 7 games. The last time they won it all was 1908.
As Casey Stengal sdaid,
"You could look it up."
Hell just froze over. I find myself agreeing with Siarlys.
I wonder what these "students" would do if Mommy and Daddy stopped paying their bills? Do you suppose any of these kids could find a job? Or would want to?
Probably not Findalis. If I could reorganize society to fit what I think would be best (a utopian exercise denied, fortunately, to all of us, because I'm sure I'd get something wrong) I would provide that for a minimum of five years after graduating high school, everyone would work at jobs everyone wants done, but nobody wants to do, such as cleaning buildings. Thirty hour weeks would be available for married couples, because I don't want to extend marriage and childbirth until age 30, and kids need a constant adult presence in their lives.
Those who stick it out for five years are eligible for full scholarships in any field, whether its technical, Harvard, or truck driving school.
I always thought we could find some common ground. If we give up on our fetishes (who I admire, who I despise, who you admire, who you despise) we could actually put together a pretty decent future for our country.
Siarlys,
You sound like someone who reaaly wants to manage society. Obama is definitely your man.
PS: Miggie is not a woman.
You missed my caveat Gary:
"a utopian exercise denied, fortunately, to all of us, because I'm sure I'd get something wrong."
I don't want to manage. I want to propose possible solutions, and see which ones
(a) my fellow citizens agree with, and,
(b) which ones work,
which are unfortunately not closely correlated with each other, for any citizen who may propose any solution to any problem, ever.
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