"a student speaking on behalf of the protesters demanded that those occupying the building be provided with food and water. “I guess it’s a question of what kind of community and what kind of obligation Columbia has to its students. . . . Do you want students to die of dehydration and starvation?”" (all quotes from Ms Charen's piece)
"a student speaking on behalf of the protesters demanded that those occupying the building be provided with food and water. “I guess it’s a question of what kind of community and what kind of obligation Columbia has to its students. . . . Do you want students to die of dehydration and starvation?”" (all quotes from Ms Charen's piece)
Out of curiosity, do the student protesters *really* think that it is the obligation of the school administration to provide sustenance to those occupying campus grounds and buildings with no approvals for their actions? Talk about unacknowledged privileges of the young and predominantly white students! As for the question as to what type of community exists within Colombia (and other campuses), I would imagine that the school wants a campus community that is *all inclusive*, not one that singles out a class of students/people to heap opprobrium on.
I was one who took to the streets in the latter 1960s and early '70s. When we occupied a building on campus we did not expect the school's administration to cater our protests; thinking that way was absurd. Why would one think that those being protested against had any obligation to help us? We didn't.
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"Shana Redmond, a professor of English and comparative literature, hailed the students with a megaphone, proclaiming, “We salute you, we stand with you, and we’re so proud to be your professors.”"
Ms Redmond is doing something that I find atrocious: she is using the word "we" like there is a universal consensus within the professoriate at Columbia. To me, this is no different than an individual proclaiming that "We the People" are fed up with something -- it is an individual's opinion that might be shared by others, but it is still just one person's thoughts.
"The slogan “From the river to the sea” implies that Israel will cease to exist. They chant “There is only one solution—intifada revolution!”"
As Ms Charen points out, many (if not most) of those protesting are just parroting what the organizers are saying. I have little doubt that a majority are completely unaware of the meaning of "from the river to the sea." They don't equate the Islamic Intifada as calling for genocide, a goal Hamas has had from its inception. I wonder how many would leave the encampments and occupied buildings if they knew that they were calling for the murders of a race of people because they (mistakenly, imo) believe Israel wants to eliminate the Palestinians in Gaza. If that was Israel's goal (not the goal of Netanyahu [the Israeli TFG] and his hard right coalition [MIGA]) then I have no doubt that any buildings and population centers would have been bombed to smithereens long ago, and public opinion be damned.
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"There are no calls at these protests, which have expanded to campuses around the country, for Hamas to accept a ceasefire or to release the hostages. There are no calls for the Houthis in Yemen to stop firing missiles at Israel and at ships in the Red Sea. There are no protests condemning Hezbollah for firing missiles into Israel’s north (causing 80,000 Israelis to be displaced)."
Furthermore, there have been no protests about the genocide of the Kurds being perpetuated by Turkey; there have been no protests against Putin's asymmetrical attacks on Ukraine and its specifically targeting civilian population centers and infrastructure; there have been no protests against the Chinese treatment of the Uighurs; there have been no protests over the various African independence movements assaults on those with whom they disagree; there have been no protests against the illiberal repressive regimes in South America.... It almost looks like that if the Jews aren't involved what occurs elsewhere is of little consequence.
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Finally, I disagree with the mass arrests taking place on college campuses across the country. It is the organizers that should face some sort of penalty for their actions -- cut the head off of a snake and the body dies. First, and foremost, outside agitators must be removed, the Columbia protest has relied on the people like Lisa Fithian (a 63 year old "protest consultant who is paid $300 a day for her "expertise," and is being funded by who?). At some universities, those with a current student ID have been released from custody pending other possible actions to be taken. Excise the instigators and see if the protests continue, a sign of a grass roots effort to make their collective displeasure known, and if it doesn't that's a sure sign that the students are being manipulated by others.
"a student speaking on behalf of the protesters demanded that those occupying the building be provided with food and water. “I guess it’s a question of what kind of community and what kind of obligation Columbia has to its students. . . . Do you want students to die of dehydration and starvation?”" (all quotes from Ms Charen's piece)
Out of curiosity, do the student protesters *really* think that it is the obligation of the school administration to provide sustenance to those occupying campus grounds and buildings with no approvals for their actions? Talk about unacknowledged privileges of the young and predominantly white students! As for the question as to what type of community exists within Colombia (and other campuses), I would imagine that the school wants a campus community that is *all inclusive*, not one that singles out a class of students/people to heap opprobrium on.
I was one who took to the streets in the latter 1960s and early '70s. When we occupied a building on campus we did not expect the school's administration to cater our protests; thinking that way was absurd. Why would one think that those being protested against had any obligation to help us? We didn't.
-----
"Shana Redmond, a professor of English and comparative literature, hailed the students with a megaphone, proclaiming, “We salute you, we stand with you, and we’re so proud to be your professors.”"
Ms Redmond is doing something that I find atrocious: she is using the word "we" like there is a universal consensus within the professoriate at Columbia. To me, this is no different than an individual proclaiming that "We the People" are fed up with something -- it is an individual's opinion that might be shared by others, but it is still just one person's thoughts.
"The slogan “From the river to the sea” implies that Israel will cease to exist. They chant “There is only one solution—intifada revolution!”"
As Ms Charen points out, many (if not most) of those protesting are just parroting what the organizers are saying. I have little doubt that a majority are completely unaware of the meaning of "from the river to the sea." They don't equate the Islamic Intifada as calling for genocide, a goal Hamas has had from its inception. I wonder how many would leave the encampments and occupied buildings if they knew that they were calling for the murders of a race of people because they (mistakenly, imo) believe Israel wants to eliminate the Palestinians in Gaza. If that was Israel's goal (not the goal of Netanyahu [the Israeli TFG] and his hard right coalition [MIGA]) then I have no doubt that any buildings and population centers would have been bombed to smithereens long ago, and public opinion be damned.
-----
"There are no calls at these protests, which have expanded to campuses around the country, for Hamas to accept a ceasefire or to release the hostages. There are no calls for the Houthis in Yemen to stop firing missiles at Israel and at ships in the Red Sea. There are no protests condemning Hezbollah for firing missiles into Israel’s north (causing 80,000 Israelis to be displaced)."
Furthermore, there have been no protests about the genocide of the Kurds being perpetuated by Turkey; there have been no protests against Putin's asymmetrical attacks on Ukraine and its specifically targeting civilian population centers and infrastructure; there have been no protests against the Chinese treatment of the Uighurs; there have been no protests over the various African independence movements assaults on those with whom they disagree; there have been no protests against the illiberal repressive regimes in South America.... It almost looks like that if the Jews aren't involved what occurs elsewhere is of little consequence.
-----
Finally, I disagree with the mass arrests taking place on college campuses across the country. It is the organizers that should face some sort of penalty for their actions -- cut the head off of a snake and the body dies. First, and foremost, outside agitators must be removed, the Columbia protest has relied on the people like Lisa Fithian (a 63 year old "protest consultant who is paid $300 a day for her "expertise," and is being funded by who?). At some universities, those with a current student ID have been released from custody pending other possible actions to be taken. Excise the instigators and see if the protests continue, a sign of a grass roots effort to make their collective displeasure known, and if it doesn't that's a sure sign that the students are being manipulated by others.
fnord