Turnout at Berkeley Lower Than Other Schools

[macktheknife]

Joining a national student-led opposition to the possible war in Iraq, students across Berkeley walked out of classes yesterday.

Turnout at UC Berkeley in the nationwide protest was far lower than many other universities, including University of Wisconsin at Madison and Stanford University.

Read all about it here:

http://www.dailycal.org/article.asp?id=11175

http://www.dailycal.org/article.asp?id=11184

In fact, about half of the protesters were a bunch of middle and high school kids the organizers rounded up. My cousin was actually attending the class described in the article, and he said that the protesters were indeed disruptive. Even after the protesters left the auditorium, they made sure all the doors were open so that the noise from the protest would get through, finally forcing the professor to cancel the class.

You can probably tell, I'm not too pleased with the actions of these protesters, but please, no disparaging remarks about my alma mater. UC Berkeley is not a school full of hedonistic, drug-addicted hippies. It is fine academic institution that has literally changed the way the world thinks in the sciences, humanities, engineering, social sciences, etc. (Remember that both Jobs and Woz attended Berkeley!) Yes, there is leftist slant, but it is no different than other universities across the nation. The city of Berkeley itself is run by a bunch of bleeding-heart leftist holdovers from the 60s who continue to pass meaningless resolutions, fight for the rights of the homeless instead of the students and residents, and fight against any new housing construction while wondering why housing is so expensive.

Quite frankly, I think many students are tired of this game, and the relative apathy towards the "protest" is a manifestation of this trend. I think many students are also tired of their school's name being dragged into the mud and seeing so many meaningless protests disrupt their daily lives.

 

[peter2002]

Protesting is a waste of time. They don't work and just cost more lives becasue of procrastanation and hesitation of action.

Pete

 

[Tomasz]

That protest was soooo sad.

It wasted my valuable study time for my midterm! Crazy loud high schoolers on my campus.....

Honestly, Berkeley can have the most insane days.... and about its politics... especially "rent control"... don't get me started on its uselessness.

Tomasz

 

[macktheknife]

Originally posted by Tomasz
That protest was soooo sad.

It wasted my valuable study time for my midterm! Crazy loud high schoolers on my campus.....

Honestly, Berkeley can have the most insane days.... and about its politics... especially "rent control"... don't get me started on its uselessness.

Tomasz

Exactly. The left-wing radicals can't get enough college students on their side, so they enlist middle and high school teenagers as part of their protests. It doesn't take a lot of intelligence to figure out that middle and high schoolers will say "Hell ya'!" to a walkout faster than a college student.

Yes, don't get me started on rent control.

 

[macktheknife]

And the students speak . . .

Read the original here:

http://www.dailycal.org/article.asp?id=11242

Lax Enforcement an Incentive for Unruly Protests

When anti-war demonstrators stormed campus buildings and disrupted classes it was just latest in a string of public embarrassments for a chancellor who cannot control his own campus.

One year ago pro-Palestinian protesters besieged Wheeler Hall, and after months of tough talk the university administration rolled over and pardoned each of the individuals. The anti-war crowd understands the limp-wristed nature of this administration and confidently disrupts classes knowing they will not face any serious consequences in the future.

Congratulations, Chancellor Robert Berdahl—you've set a fine example for our campus.

Robb McFadden
Californian Patriot publisher

Class Disruption Reveals 'Tyranny' of Left

I want to state for the record that Hoang Phan's comments to the effect that the protesters did not disrupt classes last Wednesday is nothing short of a lie ("Protesters May Face Disciplinary Action," March 7).

I was there in Wheeler hall on Wednesday, and had we not been so rudely interrupted we could have continued class. Nor did Professor David Robinson's views (Phan: "I think the professor who filed the complaint has his own views on the war and has a problem with protesters.") have anything to do with his decision to cancel class.

He humbly continued to lecture for several minutes before deciding he simply could not be heard over the unintelligible din created by the protesters. The sad thing is, all the commotion only irritated people like myself who have mixed feelings about the war.

I'm sick and tired of this tyranny of the left—of people being chanted and ridiculed into silence by Phan and other woefully ignorant supporters of "free" speech. At a time when the left needs to unify behind an electable candidate for 2004 such antics are dangerously divisive.

By the way, I was dismayed that Friday's article on the Wheeler Hall anti-war protest neglected to quote anyone who witnessed the event other than Professor Robinson.

Ross Greenman
UC Berkeley student

Administration's 'Doormat' Punishments Ineffective

There used to be an old saying that went "Fool me once, shame on on you—fool me twice, shame on me."

After blatantly violating university policies and academic learning with their "enlightened" mob disruptions, let's see if groups like Students for Justice in Palestine and the Berkeley Stop the War Coalition once again wipe their feet on the university's doormat punishments.

It seems like as long as you're breaking the rules for the cause, you can do whatever you want on campus.

Before someone starts up a "Students Cheating on Tests for Palestine" group, I suggest the current crop of university leaders stop putting their fingers to the wind and start plugging the holes in their heads.

Take a stand!

Antoine Holmes
UC Berkeley student