Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
URGENT -- Berkeley 3 Found Guilty; Your Support is Needed for Student Antiwar Activists
Free speech at Berkeley is under attack. Antiwar student organizers need
your immediate help.
UC Berkeley Dean of Students Karen Kenney turned the clock back decades by approving
sanctions against three Berkeley students for their part in a peaceful on campus sit-in on March 20, the day after the War on Iraq started.
your immediate help.
UC Berkeley Dean of Students Karen Kenney turned the clock back decades by approving
sanctions against three Berkeley students for their part in a peaceful on campus sit-in on March 20, the day after the War on Iraq started.
11-17-03
Drop All Charges Against The Berkeley 3!
Free speech at Berkeley is under attack. Antiwar student organizers need your immediate help.
Call, email or write to:
Asst. Chancellor John Cummins
Office of the Chancellor
200 California Hall #1500
Berkeley, CA 94720-1500
jcummins [at] uclink4.berkeley.edu
510-642-7464
**Please CC your emails to the administration to: DefendBerkeley3 [at] aol.com
Dean of Students Karen Kenney turned the clock back decades by approving sanctions against three Berkeley students for their part in a peaceful on campus sit-in on March 20 (for more details go to http://www.antiwarnetwork.org).
The protest was organized by the Berkeley Stop the War Coalition and involved 4,000 students at a rally with 400 participating in the sit-in.
Rachel Odes and Snehal Shingavi face 20 hours of community service and a letter of reprimand permanently placed on their academic record. Michael
Smith faces 30 hours of community service, plus a stayed suspension for one semester.
Outrageously, Smith will be forced to submit to "anger management" at the university's infirmary. If he completes that "successfully," his suspension
might be commuted to a letter of reprimand. This use of psychological treatment as punishment for a political activity recalls the classification of dissent as a "psychiatric disorder" in Stalinist Russia. Dean Kenney's actions mock Berkeley's reputation as a haven for freedom of speech and progressive political action.
Besides the obvious chilling effect on students' exercising of their civil liberties on campus, the university continued its disregard for due process
procedure in sentencing the students. For example:
*Chair of the Disciplinary Hearing Board Prof. Robert Jacobsen arbitrarily ruled that only 25 members of the Berkeley campus community could attend the hearing, despite repeated requests on the students' part that the hearing be open. At least 15 university police and private security guards barricaded the entrance to the hearing site to enforce this decision.
*The university provided only unpaid undergraduate "advocates" to help with the defense. When the three students obtained legal representation on their own initiative, Jacobsen announced that he would allow the lawyer to participate only marginally in the hearings at his discretion as chair.
Following the hearing, the university announced that it would eliminate students' right to legal counsel so as to make the process more "educational." The Berkeley Daily Cal student newspaper editorial board correctly noted that: "To suggest students have something to learn from defending themselves already assumes their guilt."
(http://www.dailycal.org/article.php?id=13525)
Perhaps the most shocking component of the administration's prosecution stemmed from its conception of "progressive discipline." Under this theory, students who take part in more than one political protest face harsher and harsher punishments. So, for instance, the university based its argument to prosecute Shingavi, at least in part, on the fact that he was the "point person" for a previous protest conducted by the Students for Justice in Palestine. Although he was not arrested or charged in connection with that protest, his association with that organization and protest helped single him out for "progressive discipline." This legal theory of "guilt by association" led the Daily Cal to editorialize that "by picking out only three, the message sent from the university seems to be that free speech includes the right to participate in a protest, but not the right to organize one." (http://www.dailycal.org/article.php?id=13176)
As the Bush administration carries out unprecedented attacks on hard won civil liberties, the Berkeley administration is shamefully jumping on the band wagon. Now that Dean Kenney has rubber-stamped Jacobsen's verdict, the last appeal goes to Asst. Chancellor John Cummins. He will issue his final decision within 15 days.
Ironically, on November 20, Amy Goodman from Pacifa Radio's "Democracy Now!" will receive the Mario Savio prize for free speech at a mass meeting on campus. The Berkeley Stop the War coalition plans to work with her to make sure that Asst. Chancellor Cummins hears the support for the Berkeley 3 loud and clear. We urge everyone who cares about free speech, the right to protest and academic freedom to take immediate action, by calling, emailing or writing to Cummins this week to demand that he drop all charges against the Berkeley 3. Especially, the frightening and irresponsible use of psychological "treatment" as a punishment for political activity.
We thank you in advance for you solidarity,
Todd Chretien
Committee to Defend Student Civil Liberties
PS Many of you generously sent contributions towards the printing of a full page ad in the Daily Cal defending the Berkeley 3. That ad ran on October 27 and we believe it played an important part in forcing the University to back down from even harsher punishments for the students. (It can be viewed at http://www.antiwarnetwork.org) Some of you may have had your checks returned to you. That is because after the university found out that the Berkeley Stop the War coalition was soliciting defense donations, they took the unprecedented action of freezing all mail to that on-campus address. We are sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused you. If you'd like to re-send your contributions (or send one for the first time), you can send them to:
BSTW
PO Box 4001
Berkeley, CA 94704-0001
Drop All Charges Against The Berkeley 3!
Free speech at Berkeley is under attack. Antiwar student organizers need your immediate help.
Call, email or write to:
Asst. Chancellor John Cummins
Office of the Chancellor
200 California Hall #1500
Berkeley, CA 94720-1500
jcummins [at] uclink4.berkeley.edu
510-642-7464
**Please CC your emails to the administration to: DefendBerkeley3 [at] aol.com
Dean of Students Karen Kenney turned the clock back decades by approving sanctions against three Berkeley students for their part in a peaceful on campus sit-in on March 20 (for more details go to http://www.antiwarnetwork.org).
The protest was organized by the Berkeley Stop the War Coalition and involved 4,000 students at a rally with 400 participating in the sit-in.
Rachel Odes and Snehal Shingavi face 20 hours of community service and a letter of reprimand permanently placed on their academic record. Michael
Smith faces 30 hours of community service, plus a stayed suspension for one semester.
Outrageously, Smith will be forced to submit to "anger management" at the university's infirmary. If he completes that "successfully," his suspension
might be commuted to a letter of reprimand. This use of psychological treatment as punishment for a political activity recalls the classification of dissent as a "psychiatric disorder" in Stalinist Russia. Dean Kenney's actions mock Berkeley's reputation as a haven for freedom of speech and progressive political action.
Besides the obvious chilling effect on students' exercising of their civil liberties on campus, the university continued its disregard for due process
procedure in sentencing the students. For example:
*Chair of the Disciplinary Hearing Board Prof. Robert Jacobsen arbitrarily ruled that only 25 members of the Berkeley campus community could attend the hearing, despite repeated requests on the students' part that the hearing be open. At least 15 university police and private security guards barricaded the entrance to the hearing site to enforce this decision.
*The university provided only unpaid undergraduate "advocates" to help with the defense. When the three students obtained legal representation on their own initiative, Jacobsen announced that he would allow the lawyer to participate only marginally in the hearings at his discretion as chair.
Following the hearing, the university announced that it would eliminate students' right to legal counsel so as to make the process more "educational." The Berkeley Daily Cal student newspaper editorial board correctly noted that: "To suggest students have something to learn from defending themselves already assumes their guilt."
(http://www.dailycal.org/article.php?id=13525)
Perhaps the most shocking component of the administration's prosecution stemmed from its conception of "progressive discipline." Under this theory, students who take part in more than one political protest face harsher and harsher punishments. So, for instance, the university based its argument to prosecute Shingavi, at least in part, on the fact that he was the "point person" for a previous protest conducted by the Students for Justice in Palestine. Although he was not arrested or charged in connection with that protest, his association with that organization and protest helped single him out for "progressive discipline." This legal theory of "guilt by association" led the Daily Cal to editorialize that "by picking out only three, the message sent from the university seems to be that free speech includes the right to participate in a protest, but not the right to organize one." (http://www.dailycal.org/article.php?id=13176)
As the Bush administration carries out unprecedented attacks on hard won civil liberties, the Berkeley administration is shamefully jumping on the band wagon. Now that Dean Kenney has rubber-stamped Jacobsen's verdict, the last appeal goes to Asst. Chancellor John Cummins. He will issue his final decision within 15 days.
Ironically, on November 20, Amy Goodman from Pacifa Radio's "Democracy Now!" will receive the Mario Savio prize for free speech at a mass meeting on campus. The Berkeley Stop the War coalition plans to work with her to make sure that Asst. Chancellor Cummins hears the support for the Berkeley 3 loud and clear. We urge everyone who cares about free speech, the right to protest and academic freedom to take immediate action, by calling, emailing or writing to Cummins this week to demand that he drop all charges against the Berkeley 3. Especially, the frightening and irresponsible use of psychological "treatment" as a punishment for political activity.
We thank you in advance for you solidarity,
Todd Chretien
Committee to Defend Student Civil Liberties
PS Many of you generously sent contributions towards the printing of a full page ad in the Daily Cal defending the Berkeley 3. That ad ran on October 27 and we believe it played an important part in forcing the University to back down from even harsher punishments for the students. (It can be viewed at http://www.antiwarnetwork.org) Some of you may have had your checks returned to you. That is because after the university found out that the Berkeley Stop the War coalition was soliciting defense donations, they took the unprecedented action of freezing all mail to that on-campus address. We are sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused you. If you'd like to re-send your contributions (or send one for the first time), you can send them to:
BSTW
PO Box 4001
Berkeley, CA 94704-0001
For more information:
http://www.antiwarnetwork.org
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
Excuse me, but you are dead wrong. The "protest" involved barging into classrooms and disrupting teaching, which I assume is still the main function of a univesity. If you want to be a professional protester, then by all means do so, but not at the expense of disrupting everyone else. That's what is so annoying about you cub protesters, you have no sense of style of grace in your cause. If you break the law intentionally to make a point, they at least be adult enough to take the punishment. That's what my generation did, and NO, your cause is not more "urgent" than ours. Grow up.
Dear "Berk Alum,"
Apparently you didn't learn how to keep your facts straight at Berkeley. The protest for which these students are being charged took place in the first floor lobby of Sproul Hall administration building. If you remember, there are no class rooms there.
Yours,
Todd C
Apparently you didn't learn how to keep your facts straight at Berkeley. The protest for which these students are being charged took place in the first floor lobby of Sproul Hall administration building. If you remember, there are no class rooms there.
Yours,
Todd C
Yeah you jackass, there aren´t any classrooms anywhere near Sproul Hall.
If they were unwilling to stand by the results of their actions then they should not have committed the activities that concluded with the punishments.
Disrupting university functions are illegal in many states. They should be glad they were smart enough to not commit these actions on a k-12 campus. that would have gotten them jail time.
The old saying applies: If you can't do the time then don't do the crime.
Disrupting university functions are illegal in many states. They should be glad they were smart enough to not commit these actions on a k-12 campus. that would have gotten them jail time.
The old saying applies: If you can't do the time then don't do the crime.
UCB is really a fucked up place - at his discretion? wtf? Isn't the state of California paying his salary? Maybe it's time to take another look at this procedure.
I hope more students continue to be involved and expose this.
I hope more students continue to be involved and expose this.
"Chair of the Disciplinary Hearing Board Prof. Robert Jacobsen arbitrarily ruled that only 25 members of the Berkeley campus community could attend the hearing, despite repeated requests on the students' part that the hearing be open. At least 15 university police and private security guards barricaded the entrance to the hearing site to enforce this decision.
*The university provided only unpaid undergraduate "advocates" to help with the defense. When the three students obtained legal representation on their own initiative, Jacobsen announced that he would allow the lawyer to participate only marginally in the hearings at his discretion as chair.
"
Bob Jacobsen is an experimental high-energy physicist and a faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley. He's a member of the BaBar collaboration, where he lead the effort to create the reconstruction software and the offline system. He has previously been a member of the ALEPH (LEP) and MarkII (SLC) collaborations. His original academic training was in computer engineering, and he worked in the computing industry before becoming a physicist
email Bob Jacobsen at jake [at] physics.berkeley.edu
or Bob_Jacobsen [at] lbl.gov
Here's Bob's Yahoo profile:
http://profiles.yahoo.com/Bob_Jacobsen15
According to Bob's UCB bio he's married but he has his marital status listed as "No Answer" so you can guess what that means....
*The university provided only unpaid undergraduate "advocates" to help with the defense. When the three students obtained legal representation on their own initiative, Jacobsen announced that he would allow the lawyer to participate only marginally in the hearings at his discretion as chair.
"
Bob Jacobsen is an experimental high-energy physicist and a faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley. He's a member of the BaBar collaboration, where he lead the effort to create the reconstruction software and the offline system. He has previously been a member of the ALEPH (LEP) and MarkII (SLC) collaborations. His original academic training was in computer engineering, and he worked in the computing industry before becoming a physicist
email Bob Jacobsen at jake [at] physics.berkeley.edu
or Bob_Jacobsen [at] lbl.gov
Here's Bob's Yahoo profile:
http://profiles.yahoo.com/Bob_Jacobsen15
According to Bob's UCB bio he's married but he has his marital status listed as "No Answer" so you can guess what that means....
Kenney has headed student services for many years, although technically not as the dean of students. The title, in abeyance for 10 years, was reinstated last year to make it easier for students and parents to identify where they can go for help.
Her office also experienced a change of identity. The 25 career staff and nearly 50 student interns who used to make up Student Activities and Services now constitute the Office of Student Life, a name that better reflects the scope of services offered, said Kenney.
Indeed, the office sponsors programs and resources that address nearly every facet of a student's life, whether personal, academic or social.
http://www.berkeley.edu/calparents/letterhome/2001/fall/adprofile.html
Her office also experienced a change of identity. The 25 career staff and nearly 50 student interns who used to make up Student Activities and Services now constitute the Office of Student Life, a name that better reflects the scope of services offered, said Kenney.
Indeed, the office sponsors programs and resources that address nearly every facet of a student's life, whether personal, academic or social.
http://www.berkeley.edu/calparents/letterhome/2001/fall/adprofile.html
About 150 students walked into the Jeremy Bentham room unopposed by UCL security, although security yesterday had been visibly tighter than usual. The activists have been discussing how long they intend to stay - in negotiations with the activists, college authorities have indicated that disciplinary action may be taken if the occupation does not end tomorrow morning.
National Stop the War activist John Rees visited the occupation yesterday evening, giving a well-received speech which was followed by debate about the global ambitions of the current US administration. There have also been video showings, banner making sessions and meetings to plan strategy for protests against Bush.
This morning (Wednesday) the activists plan to take the struggle to the streets around UCL, blocking some of the busy roads in Bloomsbury at rush hour. There will be activity in UCL all day, with a rally in the front quad at 2pm followed by a march to Senate House where Colin Powell will be handing out scholarships. Students will march from another rally at 5pm, joining up with LSE students to protest against Bush in central London.
Some slogans from banners made at the occupation:
Awake the spirit of '68.
Drop fees not bombs.
Stop Bush.
Out of London, out of Iraq.
Quotations
"We are protesting about the unprecedented invitation by our government to a full state visit by a president of the US who has spent the years of his presidency executing acts of malice and injustice around the world - and we do mean 'executing.'" Alex Higgins
"We are creating a space where we can organise protests against George Bush as and when we find out what he's doing - and for debate and to provide accommodation for people coming down for the protests against Bush." James Cornelius
"The atmosphere is really buzzing. Everyone's really excited. Everyone's up for doing stuff." Jim Green
The occupation is "not just about Iraq, it's about the environment, about the poor in the US, the death penalty as a political choice, the arms trade, the war on drugs, the increased development of nuclear weapons, the militarisation of space and the trashing of the Geneva Convention." Alex Higgins
Press Office
UCL Stop the War
e-mail: uclstopwarpressoffice [at] yahoo.co.uk
Homepage: http://www.uclstopwar.org.uk/
National Stop the War activist John Rees visited the occupation yesterday evening, giving a well-received speech which was followed by debate about the global ambitions of the current US administration. There have also been video showings, banner making sessions and meetings to plan strategy for protests against Bush.
This morning (Wednesday) the activists plan to take the struggle to the streets around UCL, blocking some of the busy roads in Bloomsbury at rush hour. There will be activity in UCL all day, with a rally in the front quad at 2pm followed by a march to Senate House where Colin Powell will be handing out scholarships. Students will march from another rally at 5pm, joining up with LSE students to protest against Bush in central London.
Some slogans from banners made at the occupation:
Awake the spirit of '68.
Drop fees not bombs.
Stop Bush.
Out of London, out of Iraq.
Quotations
"We are protesting about the unprecedented invitation by our government to a full state visit by a president of the US who has spent the years of his presidency executing acts of malice and injustice around the world - and we do mean 'executing.'" Alex Higgins
"We are creating a space where we can organise protests against George Bush as and when we find out what he's doing - and for debate and to provide accommodation for people coming down for the protests against Bush." James Cornelius
"The atmosphere is really buzzing. Everyone's really excited. Everyone's up for doing stuff." Jim Green
The occupation is "not just about Iraq, it's about the environment, about the poor in the US, the death penalty as a political choice, the arms trade, the war on drugs, the increased development of nuclear weapons, the militarisation of space and the trashing of the Geneva Convention." Alex Higgins
Press Office
UCL Stop the War
e-mail: uclstopwarpressoffice [at] yahoo.co.uk
Homepage: http://www.uclstopwar.org.uk/
A diverse group of people organized the UCB protests as can be seen by the three organizers the administration chose to prosecute (one woman, one white male and one gay male of color)
The exact same type of protest took place the day the war started at SFSU and it was more militant than the protests at UCB.
See:
http://sf.indybay.org/archives/archive_by_id.php?category_id=12&id=1205
Unlike UCB, the administration at SFSU did not single out protest organizers and attempt to punish them for being organizers.
The exact same type of protest took place the day the war started at SFSU and it was more militant than the protests at UCB.
See:
http://sf.indybay.org/archives/archive_by_id.php?category_id=12&id=1205
Unlike UCB, the administration at SFSU did not single out protest organizers and attempt to punish them for being organizers.
At most other Bay Area schools, the administration saw protests as an expression that students were for once paying attention to world events. By singling out student leaders at UCB, the UCB administration set a bad precident for how protests will be treated at UCB as well as at other schools. The Free Speach Movement helped allow politics onto college campuses and the gains won at Berkeley spread nationwide. Hopefully these new moves by UCB to go after student organizers wont spread in the same way...
(5th repost of this, how many other people are getting their comments deleted?)
I would have to agree with the "berkeley alum" about sproul hall. I've been there and it's a place with school activities. So far everyone here criticizing this person hasn't actually disputed whether or not the protesters barged into classrooms or not that day, as they have on numerous occassions previously.
My recollection of some of the berkeley protests in the last two years has been that they all end up with this bullshit. A bunch of privileged Berkeley mofo's getting arrested for sit-ins, while demanding things that they expect the university to just all-of-a-sudden pull out of their asses. If these idiots actually ORGANIZED, they'd know better how to make an actual demand, even further an actual CHANGE on their campus--rather than doing one sit-in after the other, over and over again. Nothing's changed.
So to all you "Berkeley 3" supporters, just what have these sit-ins actually accomplished at UCB over the past two years, especially those including fools like Smith and Snehal? It looks like they've just gotten themselves in trouble. And now they cry for help.
And all you Berkeley 60's/70's loving-mofo's need to get your heads out of your dreamy asses because in those days there were people organizing for change, with accountability, and with concrete actions who were being brutalized beyond anything that these three have ever gone through. And it wasn't at Berkeley.
Now, where is the accountability in those sit-ins? Who were they actually trying to do this for? Iraqis? Give me a fucking break! And just WHERE is the womyn leadership? I know of plenty non-male organizers at Berkeley with incredible soul and spirit for change, yet I don't see them in this organizing.
mad props though to all the berkeley fools who actually work in their community with the people who are being affected by the
war. PEACE!
I would have to agree with the "berkeley alum" about sproul hall. I've been there and it's a place with school activities. So far everyone here criticizing this person hasn't actually disputed whether or not the protesters barged into classrooms or not that day, as they have on numerous occassions previously.
My recollection of some of the berkeley protests in the last two years has been that they all end up with this bullshit. A bunch of privileged Berkeley mofo's getting arrested for sit-ins, while demanding things that they expect the university to just all-of-a-sudden pull out of their asses. If these idiots actually ORGANIZED, they'd know better how to make an actual demand, even further an actual CHANGE on their campus--rather than doing one sit-in after the other, over and over again. Nothing's changed.
So to all you "Berkeley 3" supporters, just what have these sit-ins actually accomplished at UCB over the past two years, especially those including fools like Smith and Snehal? It looks like they've just gotten themselves in trouble. And now they cry for help.
And all you Berkeley 60's/70's loving-mofo's need to get your heads out of your dreamy asses because in those days there were people organizing for change, with accountability, and with concrete actions who were being brutalized beyond anything that these three have ever gone through. And it wasn't at Berkeley.
Now, where is the accountability in those sit-ins? Who were they actually trying to do this for? Iraqis? Give me a fucking break! And just WHERE is the womyn leadership? I know of plenty non-male organizers at Berkeley with incredible soul and spirit for change, yet I don't see them in this organizing.
mad props though to all the berkeley fools who actually work in their community with the people who are being affected by the
war. PEACE!
hehe, i'm in that picture! not sitting in though. but i supported.
unfortunately for these peeps doing the sit-in, the school president was doing "business as usual". the administration let them sit-in until 10pm when the building would close down. then everyone started leaving.
what were the demands, again? i wouldn't even know, i wasn't part of this group, and no one i could see around me or sitting was being asked what they thought should be a demand.
but smith and snehal are right there, maybe they knew what the demands were. hahaha! those fools will even go organize other people's campuses! lol.
i wouldn't argue the sfsu sit-in's lack of arrests or singling out of organizers as base for accusing uc berkeley of wrongdoing. no one at the sfsu sit-in has any history of sit-ins on campus, even less lying to the administration about if or not they'd do civil disobedience.
corrigan must've been laughing his ass off.
and btw, there has been singing out of students at sfsu by the administration... they're called the general union of palestinian students.
unfortunately for these peeps doing the sit-in, the school president was doing "business as usual". the administration let them sit-in until 10pm when the building would close down. then everyone started leaving.
what were the demands, again? i wouldn't even know, i wasn't part of this group, and no one i could see around me or sitting was being asked what they thought should be a demand.
but smith and snehal are right there, maybe they knew what the demands were. hahaha! those fools will even go organize other people's campuses! lol.
i wouldn't argue the sfsu sit-in's lack of arrests or singling out of organizers as base for accusing uc berkeley of wrongdoing. no one at the sfsu sit-in has any history of sit-ins on campus, even less lying to the administration about if or not they'd do civil disobedience.
corrigan must've been laughing his ass off.
and btw, there has been singing out of students at sfsu by the administration... they're called the general union of palestinian students.
"And just WHERE is the womyn leadership? I "
Note that SFSU student goes off about "Smith and Snehal" yet never mentions Rachel Odes. Who is ignoring women in leadership roles? There is sexism in a lot of antiwar groups but the Bay Area is better than most places with many of the largest antiwar groups lead by leaders like Starhawk, Medea, and Gloria. The UCB antiwar group was one of the most diverse in the Bay Area with many members and leaders from a wide variety or ethnic background, genders and sexual orientations.
Sit-ins dont accomplish a lot, yet that shouldnt get in the way of people defending students attacked for organizing sit-ins. Even the normally conservative Daily Cal newspaper at Berkeley is defending the Berkeley 3 since the way they are being attacked is an attack on any future groups that organize anything.
Snehal, Smith and Odes may all be ISO and many people may have issues with the ISO but that doesnt mean we shouldnt defend their right to organize.
Did the sit-ins accomplish anything? Did the protests in San Francisco accomplish anything? Its hard to tell. I think they did help raise awareness around the world that even in the US many people strongly opposed the war (the SF arrests made most international newspapers) The worldwide protests against the Iraq war were the largest in world history, but they didnt stop the war. Large protests have brought down governments and Blair came close to being forced to resign. Perhaps next time if we stay united and watch each others backs (and stand behind all activists who are being intimidated and threatened by the police, university administration or the right) we can stop the next war.
Note that SFSU student goes off about "Smith and Snehal" yet never mentions Rachel Odes. Who is ignoring women in leadership roles? There is sexism in a lot of antiwar groups but the Bay Area is better than most places with many of the largest antiwar groups lead by leaders like Starhawk, Medea, and Gloria. The UCB antiwar group was one of the most diverse in the Bay Area with many members and leaders from a wide variety or ethnic background, genders and sexual orientations.
Sit-ins dont accomplish a lot, yet that shouldnt get in the way of people defending students attacked for organizing sit-ins. Even the normally conservative Daily Cal newspaper at Berkeley is defending the Berkeley 3 since the way they are being attacked is an attack on any future groups that organize anything.
Snehal, Smith and Odes may all be ISO and many people may have issues with the ISO but that doesnt mean we shouldnt defend their right to organize.
Did the sit-ins accomplish anything? Did the protests in San Francisco accomplish anything? Its hard to tell. I think they did help raise awareness around the world that even in the US many people strongly opposed the war (the SF arrests made most international newspapers) The worldwide protests against the Iraq war were the largest in world history, but they didnt stop the war. Large protests have brought down governments and Blair came close to being forced to resign. Perhaps next time if we stay united and watch each others backs (and stand behind all activists who are being intimidated and threatened by the police, university administration or the right) we can stop the next war.
As a woman who has hit the streets and worked hard for this victory I am insulted by this crap you are spewing. Keep your misogyny to the corner of your local straight bar where you can share it with your with your good ol' boys in b-ball caps. This is just the kind of shit women still have to endure even in progressieve circles...such a shame, such a waste.
"what were the demands, again? i wouldn't even know"
Both sit-in protests did have demands and probably most students did not know what the demands were. The protests in the streets of SF had demands too; people locked down in front of businesses tied to the war machine etc.. But the expectation was never to have the demands met (nobody really expected someone from Bechtel or the Federal buidling to come out and agree to anything) The point of the protests was to make a statement to the world that people in the US opposed the war and opposed it strongly. All of the antiwar protests were symbolic (even those near military bases) since its very hard to get in the way of the war machine directly.
"btw, there has been singing out of students at sfsu by the administration... they're called the general union of palestinian students. "
Yep and many activists around the Bay Area were upset by their treatment. We are much more effective working together than fighting each other. I personally dislike the ISO but will help fight to defend their right to their forms of protest. I would do the same for GUPS. If you want people to support you when you are in trouble its good to support them when they are in trouble. When the police or a university administration cracks down on activist groups its time to throw away the partisan politics and fight for all of our rights.
Both sit-in protests did have demands and probably most students did not know what the demands were. The protests in the streets of SF had demands too; people locked down in front of businesses tied to the war machine etc.. But the expectation was never to have the demands met (nobody really expected someone from Bechtel or the Federal buidling to come out and agree to anything) The point of the protests was to make a statement to the world that people in the US opposed the war and opposed it strongly. All of the antiwar protests were symbolic (even those near military bases) since its very hard to get in the way of the war machine directly.
"btw, there has been singing out of students at sfsu by the administration... they're called the general union of palestinian students. "
Yep and many activists around the Bay Area were upset by their treatment. We are much more effective working together than fighting each other. I personally dislike the ISO but will help fight to defend their right to their forms of protest. I would do the same for GUPS. If you want people to support you when you are in trouble its good to support them when they are in trouble. When the police or a university administration cracks down on activist groups its time to throw away the partisan politics and fight for all of our rights.
sorry buddy ("?"), but my comment was in the context of berkeley organizing, not the particular sit-in that these three went down for. the leadership of berkeley's anti-war and anti-war-related organizing, and particularly sit-ins/"occupations", has been very male-dominated. sorry dude, just look at the last few years of the leadership of who leads these sit-ins and who gets arrested. don't worry, every campus has this same issue. they're just obvious at berkeley.
leading a bunch of people from a rally to do a sit-in that has no concrete planning nor realistic demands does not qualify as organizing. this is closer to reactionary mobilizing.
you're right about the message that sit-ins send out, however you're back into the field of taking responsability for your civil disobedience actions. many on the streets in sf got arrested, none complained unless it was wrongfully done (i.e., standing legally on the sidewalk and being given no notice of dispersal). the fools at berkeley were told to disperse, they didn't do it when they had the chance and had sent the message, so no complaining about the consequences. did they actually think their three demands would be met if they just sat there as long as they could? FUNNY how they didn't reorganize and try to have their demands met later on with other actions. i guess the demands lost their cuteness, or no one actually wants to do real organizing.
the progressive discipline, as arguable as it may be (and hopefully it gets struck down), was rightfully applied on these peeps because they had been involved in previous organizing that the administration apparently let know was not favorable or in accordance with school policies. plain and simple.
Starhawk, Gloria??, Medea... dude, Medea and Starhawk hardly organize compared to countless other women in the bay area with plenty more leadership and support from the communities they work in. do a little more research, you can come up with better than that.
> " Both sit-in protests did have demands and probably most
> students did not know what the demands were."
hmm... let's see, let's get people to go do a sit-in, let's not tell them what the demands are, let's definitely NOT have them give input, and let's hope they're okay if/why they get arrested. sorry dude, i don't need to read up on Gandhi to know that shit is shady and wrong. definitely not grassroots organizing.
and on GUPS> "If you want people to support you when you
> are in trouble its good to support them when they are in trouble."
the student group who did the sit-in at sfsu barely did shit to help out GUPS last year. no one needs your sentimental speech, especially when it's contradicting.
leading a bunch of people from a rally to do a sit-in that has no concrete planning nor realistic demands does not qualify as organizing. this is closer to reactionary mobilizing.
you're right about the message that sit-ins send out, however you're back into the field of taking responsability for your civil disobedience actions. many on the streets in sf got arrested, none complained unless it was wrongfully done (i.e., standing legally on the sidewalk and being given no notice of dispersal). the fools at berkeley were told to disperse, they didn't do it when they had the chance and had sent the message, so no complaining about the consequences. did they actually think their three demands would be met if they just sat there as long as they could? FUNNY how they didn't reorganize and try to have their demands met later on with other actions. i guess the demands lost their cuteness, or no one actually wants to do real organizing.
the progressive discipline, as arguable as it may be (and hopefully it gets struck down), was rightfully applied on these peeps because they had been involved in previous organizing that the administration apparently let know was not favorable or in accordance with school policies. plain and simple.
Starhawk, Gloria??, Medea... dude, Medea and Starhawk hardly organize compared to countless other women in the bay area with plenty more leadership and support from the communities they work in. do a little more research, you can come up with better than that.
> " Both sit-in protests did have demands and probably most
> students did not know what the demands were."
hmm... let's see, let's get people to go do a sit-in, let's not tell them what the demands are, let's definitely NOT have them give input, and let's hope they're okay if/why they get arrested. sorry dude, i don't need to read up on Gandhi to know that shit is shady and wrong. definitely not grassroots organizing.
and on GUPS> "If you want people to support you when you
> are in trouble its good to support them when they are in trouble."
the student group who did the sit-in at sfsu barely did shit to help out GUPS last year. no one needs your sentimental speech, especially when it's contradicting.
what victory? you talking to me?
i'm not spewing any crap, cause i back it up.
-sfsu student
i'm not spewing any crap, cause i back it up.
-sfsu student
If I were a right winger I'd be sitting here laughing my ass off - why? Because the easiest way to pull you people apart is to start an attack going about who isn't PC enough, who is too sexist, who knows more, etc.
Don't fall for it.
Instead of attacking eachother, try to build on what is there. Is this how you would speak to your grandmother? Is this how you would explain and teach your own 4 year old child? Treat each other with respect and things can be built, rather than taken apart.
One of the best ways to grow something more, to educate, is to use good examples, praise what already works and the efforts that made it work, and then post your OWN version of events, sans attacks on those who may or may not know everything YOU do.
Berkeley is under seige. I went to a city council meeting last night and the landowners were cheering and yelling at the city council to push the new tax onto the RENTERS! Virtually no renters were there and the city council had to step up to bat for them, try to protect them. Bates actually did a good job of diffusing the mob mentality that had overcome the landlords.
You guys have a lot to worry about - Livermore Labs over the hill is scheduled to start working on NANOTECHNOLOGY in the coming years, something which has a completely unknown impact on the environment.
My point is, there are a lot of battles out there. Whether or not which women were doing what can easily be used to divide.
We all want more women involved and speaking out, educating us on women's issues. How can we accomplish that, without attacking?
Don't fall for it.
Instead of attacking eachother, try to build on what is there. Is this how you would speak to your grandmother? Is this how you would explain and teach your own 4 year old child? Treat each other with respect and things can be built, rather than taken apart.
One of the best ways to grow something more, to educate, is to use good examples, praise what already works and the efforts that made it work, and then post your OWN version of events, sans attacks on those who may or may not know everything YOU do.
Berkeley is under seige. I went to a city council meeting last night and the landowners were cheering and yelling at the city council to push the new tax onto the RENTERS! Virtually no renters were there and the city council had to step up to bat for them, try to protect them. Bates actually did a good job of diffusing the mob mentality that had overcome the landlords.
You guys have a lot to worry about - Livermore Labs over the hill is scheduled to start working on NANOTECHNOLOGY in the coming years, something which has a completely unknown impact on the environment.
My point is, there are a lot of battles out there. Whether or not which women were doing what can easily be used to divide.
We all want more women involved and speaking out, educating us on women's issues. How can we accomplish that, without attacking?
On Feb. 16, I was arrested in SF on a city bus, while alone, I had taken off my combat boots to show my distain for this military symbol and was asking the people on the bus to engage with me in conversation about the war, I was also trying to find out the destination of the bus. I could not pry this information from one single person's lips, what area did the bus service, before I knew it, I was spending 4 days in a mental hospital in Valejo. The bill was $6000. What a nice way to make someone pay...calling them crazy...my insurance paid for most of it, but this shows what they can and will do to people who disagree. I watched the president anounce the war would happen from inside hospital walls on TV, I had no idea this kind of thing happened under Stalin.
Feb 16, the night of the protests in SF, I took off my combat boots as a symbol of the military, and boarded a city bus barefoot and began to talk to people about the war, I then asked them what area was serviced by the bus. Nobody would pry their lips open and talk to me, I didn't get off the bus when the driver asked me, and before I knew it, my champange filled self was locked up for four days in a mental hospital in Vallejo. I admit, I was sleep deprived and drunk, but a $6000 mental hospital bill is no joke, it is a fine with no official charges or trial, I watched the "president" announce that the war would begin despite dissent from a TV in hospital walls. My insurance paid for most of the fees, but they can and will use mental illness as an excuse for your beliefs, and I had no idea this happened under Stalin as well.
yeah - your story sounds weird, but the same thing happened to a friend of mine who dresses strangely, in all black, with a hat, and he made the mistake of filing a complaint about a police officer in Berkeley who treated him rudely and screamed at him when he insisted on sticking around when they were accusing his twin sister of murder when her fat landlord died due to a heart attack, and they were asking her interrogative questions.
So after he filed his complaint, and they encountered each other on the street later on, the officer made up a story that he had been exhibiting schizophrenic symptoms, like saying that other people are robots who were sending him messages via radio into his head. He was taken to that place in San Leandro. I wouldn't pay your bill if I were you. Apparently police in Oakland like to do the 5150 thing to black men who are angry and pissed off yet haven't broken any law.
So after he filed his complaint, and they encountered each other on the street later on, the officer made up a story that he had been exhibiting schizophrenic symptoms, like saying that other people are robots who were sending him messages via radio into his head. He was taken to that place in San Leandro. I wouldn't pay your bill if I were you. Apparently police in Oakland like to do the 5150 thing to black men who are angry and pissed off yet haven't broken any law.
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$220.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network