Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
UC Regents Ignore Massive Resistance, Vote to Build Nukes
On May 25, a passionate display of concern and anger erupted from Berkeley students and anti-nuke warriors at the decision that the University of California will bid with corporate war profiteer, Bechtel, for the nuclear labs at Los Alamos.
On May 25, a passionate display of concern and anger erupted from Berkeley students and anti-nuke warriors at the decision that the University of California will bid with corporate war profiteer, Bechtel, for the nuclear labs at Los Alamos.
In a time when many schools are on break, more than four dozen students, mostly organized by UC Santa Cruz’s Students Against War (SAW), woke at 4:30am to attend the UC Regents meeting in San Francisco. With strong words and strong actions, these students did everything in their power to ensure that they would not be silenced and that the interests of the globe would not be ignored. However, the UC Regents voted unanimously to bid with Bechtel and two other suspicious corporations on the management of Los Alamos labs.
The University of California has been responsible for every nuclear weapon in the U.S. stockpile, including those dropped on Japan. This year will be the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima.
Once the UC Regents unanimously voted to approve the joint management of Los Alamos with Bechtel and others, students protested again. Like before, the Regents slid out, the cops filed in, and eventually the students found themselves outside the building. Hiroshima.
The action started at 8am when a few previously-registered students spoke during the small public comment section of the meeting. As a sign of unity, when one student spoke, all stood in solidarity. With many students left to speak, the UC Regents ended the public comment period. Every single person possibly associated with the group was stripped of their fundamental rights of attendance and speech. Individuals registered to speak during the second public comment period were denied their speaking access and entry to the building by the police, due to an assumed association with ‘them’ (referring to the students). Hiroshima.
Meanwhile, one member of the corporate press decided that weapons of mass destruction and global apocalypse was not as important as game of solitaire.
In a time when many schools are on break, more than four dozen students, mostly organized by UC Santa Cruz’s Students Against War (SAW), woke at 4:30am to attend the UC Regents meeting in San Francisco. With strong words and strong actions, these students did everything in their power to ensure that they would not be silenced and that the interests of the globe would not be ignored. However, the UC Regents voted unanimously to bid with Bechtel and two other suspicious corporations on the management of Los Alamos labs.
The University of California has been responsible for every nuclear weapon in the U.S. stockpile, including those dropped on Japan. This year will be the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima.
Once the UC Regents unanimously voted to approve the joint management of Los Alamos with Bechtel and others, students protested again. Like before, the Regents slid out, the cops filed in, and eventually the students found themselves outside the building. Hiroshima.
The action started at 8am when a few previously-registered students spoke during the small public comment section of the meeting. As a sign of unity, when one student spoke, all stood in solidarity. With many students left to speak, the UC Regents ended the public comment period. Every single person possibly associated with the group was stripped of their fundamental rights of attendance and speech. Individuals registered to speak during the second public comment period were denied their speaking access and entry to the building by the police, due to an assumed association with ‘them’ (referring to the students). Hiroshima.
Meanwhile, one member of the corporate press decided that weapons of mass destruction and global apocalypse was not as important as game of solitaire.
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
There was no "massive resistance". There were the usual 20 or 30 people who have bothered with this for years. Of course the university will do it's part for the national defense and continue with this work. I would suggest that the forlorn "activists" go back to one of the Livermore "resistance" groups to recharge. In sum, no one of substance cares.
But certainly not delusional. We had tons of support from UCSC students in the weeks prior to the meeting.
We had about 40 people present that day, and would've had more had the meeting: (a) Not been held at a UC that lacks an undergraduate student body; (b) Not been scheduled so close to finals week; and (c) Not been moved from 10 AM (as originally posted on the Regents' website) to 8-friggin-AM, a day before the meeting. Those old, rich, white men are crafty devils.
"No one of substance?" YOU certainly seemed to care enough to post, mein freund!
We had about 40 people present that day, and would've had more had the meeting: (a) Not been held at a UC that lacks an undergraduate student body; (b) Not been scheduled so close to finals week; and (c) Not been moved from 10 AM (as originally posted on the Regents' website) to 8-friggin-AM, a day before the meeting. Those old, rich, white men are crafty devils.
"No one of substance?" YOU certainly seemed to care enough to post, mein freund!
Student resistence to the these laboratories is growing. As a close follower of this issue for several years now I can say that the student turnout to this Regents meeting for this purpose was unprecidented.
It's not just that students don't want the UC designing nuclear warheads, there has always been significant opposition to this mission. It's that UC students are quickly becoming aware that the emergent role of the Los Alamos National Lab will be to manufacture weapons, especially plutonium pits. This is a "science lab" no more, if it ever was one.
The developments at Los Alamos, and in the whole US nuclear weapons complex are going to open many people's eyes. Nuclear weapons are not popular. Most Americans want to drastically scale back the arsenal and eventually work toward disarmament. UC students and faculty are no different. (For public opinion survey research on US WMD proliferation see - http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/WMD/WMDreport_04_15_04.pdf).
By forcing the UC Regents to bid for the Lab, DOE has created a situation in which students are awakening not only to the fact that their university operates the two largest weapons of mass destruction facilities on the planet, but also that these facilities are in a time of radical transition. This transition is part of a larger shift in which the United States will develop new nuclear weapons designs (more usable nuclear weapons). It is, always has been, time for disarmament.
Student resistence will continue. And, if US plans for a global empire continue unchecked, the nascent anti-war movement will grow to oppose such an insane, militarized vision of global order.
Anyone who thinks this is business as usual (what the UC's doing, the US is doing, or what the students are doing in opposition) is missing the point.
Fiat Pax,
Darwin
It's not just that students don't want the UC designing nuclear warheads, there has always been significant opposition to this mission. It's that UC students are quickly becoming aware that the emergent role of the Los Alamos National Lab will be to manufacture weapons, especially plutonium pits. This is a "science lab" no more, if it ever was one.
The developments at Los Alamos, and in the whole US nuclear weapons complex are going to open many people's eyes. Nuclear weapons are not popular. Most Americans want to drastically scale back the arsenal and eventually work toward disarmament. UC students and faculty are no different. (For public opinion survey research on US WMD proliferation see - http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/WMD/WMDreport_04_15_04.pdf).
By forcing the UC Regents to bid for the Lab, DOE has created a situation in which students are awakening not only to the fact that their university operates the two largest weapons of mass destruction facilities on the planet, but also that these facilities are in a time of radical transition. This transition is part of a larger shift in which the United States will develop new nuclear weapons designs (more usable nuclear weapons). It is, always has been, time for disarmament.
Student resistence will continue. And, if US plans for a global empire continue unchecked, the nascent anti-war movement will grow to oppose such an insane, militarized vision of global order.
Anyone who thinks this is business as usual (what the UC's doing, the US is doing, or what the students are doing in opposition) is missing the point.
Fiat Pax,
Darwin
For more information:
http://www.fiatpax.net
Nah, I don't wish cancer on nessie. I just wish him the enlightenment it would take for him to break out of his catechistic, reductionist, authoritarian worldview.
@%<
@%<
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$110.00 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