Protests on college campuses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ignore the protests, and lose. History is on the side of protesters.

Each and every time.

Hmm... So even when the KKK protested.... History was on their side.

My suggestion would be not live your life with slogans.

And Westboro Baptist Church, Jan 6ers and anti choice protesters…. Is history really on their side?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do the protesters have a position on Hamas’ slaughter of innocent people at a music/peace festival on October 7?

The death of innocents is universally condemned, in the student protests I have heard. Hamas committed atrocious act of violence on 10/7.

Since then, collective punishment resulting in the deaths of babies and innocent civilians has been meted out by Israel, funded by the USA.

Why, don't the students demand Hamas surrender?

Maybe because they claim to be Hamas?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kas9aY47fw

Oh grow up
No need to smear a peaceful protest, they are not being anti semitic

Just like the Palestinians celebrated when 9/11 took place?

Just like the Dancing Israelis: https://medium.com/@maryitunnu24/dancing-israelis-the-controversial-trending-news-9-11-f0465d7dabe7

That whole part of the world is a gift that keeps on giving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ignore the protests, and lose. History is on the side of protesters.

Each and every time.

Hmm... So even when the KKK protested.... History was on their side.

My suggestion would be not live your life with slogans.

And Westboro Baptist Church, Jan 6ers and anti choice protesters…. Is history really on their side?

DP. I was thinking of Occupy Wall Street. Not sure what they were trying to accomplish but they didn't succeed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long story short, it is the right of American citizens to protest, if it doesn’t suit a certain narrative then it’s not their problem. If these kids want to protest, then they have every right to do so, there is a big Zionist lobby that has tried to control every opinion and aspect of this conflict since 10/7 and anyone not agreeing with Israel is promptly labeled antisemitic. Frankly, it’s nauseating.

It is their right. But their pro-Hamas protests win no hearts or minds.

The right wingers and administrators who are siccing the cops on them aren’t winning any hearts and minds either.

They are breaking the law by violently protesting, accosting police, and trespassing. Yet you think there should be no consequences? Of course you do. This is why normal, sane people think you are crazy.

This started with a bunch of dumb college kids camping in tents holding signs. The administration could have just ignored them and let them be stupid. They overreacted and made this a power game.

+1. It’s like University Presidents are CEOs with no actual understanding of college kids.

I talked to my college kid (on a so far protest free campus, thank goodness) last weekend. They were having trouble with a housemate’s behavior. And I reminded them that we weren’t in September, when a permanent solution to the behavior was needed to avoid an unpleasant school year. Instead, a light touch and keeping the peach for 10 days would get them through finals and that they weren’t scheduled to room with that person next year.

Columbia’s President kow-towed to the extreme right in Congress, because they had cancelled prior university presidents. And then followed through by dealing with theColumbia protestors with a heavy hand *from a war room in DC* with no attempts to deescalate or contain the protestors first. And it backfired bigly. Anyone who actual knows college kids could have told her that would happen. She massively over reacted, and there was a backlash.

There is an alternative universe where she ignored the students and dealt with any specific behaviors that were actually violent or threatening (as opposed to expressing a distasteful viewpoint or being annoying, which is the point of protest and is protected under 1A). Had professors flunk kids who didn’t show up for finals. And issued trespassing citations and cut off campus building key card access for kids who were not off campus within 24-48 hours after their last final (the rule at my kids college). And most of the kids would have dispersed before commencement.

Then she doubled down on what didn’t work yesterday, and now they took over a campus building.

It’s like she had no understanding of college kids and is a Fortune 500 CEO primarily there to make donors happy and have an occasional orchestrated photo op with students. Because that’s what she is.

I have no idea why she did not just ignore them as group until the end of the semester, discipline only bad actors, and wait for summer DP vacation, when everyone could take a breath and calm down.

Stupid. What she did was stupid. Divorced from the reality of how 18-22 year olds think annd operate. And seemed designed to cause more problems than it solved.

+1000

The issue is not the topic of the protest which no university should really express an opinion on. The issue is the disruption of other students rights to an education, any possible violence against others, non participation by the protesters in their schoolwork and occupation of a building. These individual actions should be dealt with. But whatever they are protesting is not the point. And they made it the point. It’s like they never dealt with kids before.

Part of the issue is that some faculty have also expressed solidarity with the political points of the protestors. Which was dumb of them.

Why is that a problem? Faculty should be able to comment freely on either side of this and any issue.

I mean you have donors trying to influence university positions by threatening to withhold gifts. It seemed crude but influencing policy with money (which is a form of speech) is as American as apple pie.

Faculty showed up to protect the protesters after they had been told to evacuate and remove their illegal encampment.
Faculty should be able to comment freely, but not aid and abet the students who were clearly breaking the rules.
I am glad the faculty is showing who they are........ perhaps perspective students will see this and make their decisions accordingly.

Everything was legal in Nazi Germany, in Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Afghanistan etc. etc. etc. Rules made by a power class to benefit itself do not supersede inalienable rights and values granted to every human by Nature/God (whatever you believe in).

[Anonymous]

I cannot imagine the students who are worried about not being able to experience a graduation after all their hard work because of the protests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is how they should deal with the students who have occupied Hamilton Hall...

They should make sure the building is secure. Let nobody enter and nobody exit.
Cut off the electricity. These brats will have no way to charge their phones.
Cut off the water.
Do NOT allow food or water into the building.
Eventually, they will surrender.

It’s easier to just expel trespassing students. This isn’t hard.

Nah. I would rather they suffer a bit. Deprive them of basic needs and force them out on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long story short, it is the right of American citizens to protest, if it doesn’t suit a certain narrative then it’s not their problem. If these kids want to protest, then they have every right to do so, there is a big Zionist lobby that has tried to control every opinion and aspect of this conflict since 10/7 and anyone not agreeing with Israel is promptly labeled antisemitic. Frankly, it’s nauseating.

It is their right. But their pro-Hamas protests win no hearts or minds.

The right wingers and administrators who are siccing the cops on them aren’t winning any hearts and minds either.

They are breaking the law by violently protesting, accosting police, and trespassing. Yet you think there should be no consequences? Of course you do. This is why normal, sane people think you are crazy.

This started with a bunch of dumb college kids camping in tents holding signs. The administration could have just ignored them and let them be stupid. They overreacted and made this a power game.

+1. It’s like University Presidents are CEOs with no actual understanding of college kids.

I talked to my college kid (on a so far protest free campus, thank goodness) last weekend. They were having trouble with a housemate’s behavior. And I reminded them that we weren’t in September, when a permanent solution to the behavior was needed to avoid an unpleasant school year. Instead, a light touch and keeping the peach for 10 days would get them through finals and that they weren’t scheduled to room with that person next year.

Columbia’s President kow-towed to the extreme right in Congress, because they had cancelled prior university presidents. And then followed through by dealing with theColumbia protestors with a heavy hand *from a war room in DC* with no attempts to deescalate or contain the protestors first. And it backfired bigly. Anyone who actual knows college kids could have told her that would happen. She massively over reacted, and there was a backlash.

There is an alternative universe where she ignored the students and dealt with any specific behaviors that were actually violent or threatening (as opposed to expressing a distasteful viewpoint or being annoying, which is the point of protest and is protected under 1A). Had professors flunk kids who didn’t show up for finals. And issued trespassing citations and cut off campus building key card access for kids who were not off campus within 24-48 hours after their last final (the rule at my kids college). And most of the kids would have dispersed before commencement.

Then she doubled down on what didn’t work yesterday, and now they took over a campus building.

It’s like she had no understanding of college kids and is a Fortune 500 CEO primarily there to make donors happy and have an occasional orchestrated photo op with students. Because that’s what she is.

I have no idea why she did not just ignore them as group until the end of the semester, discipline only bad actors, and wait for summer DP vacation, when everyone could take a breath and calm down.

Stupid. What she did was stupid. Divorced from the reality of how 18-22 year olds think annd operate. And seemed designed to cause more problems than it solved.

+1000

The issue is not the topic of the protest which no university should really express an opinion on. The issue is the disruption of other students rights to an education, any possible violence against others, non participation by the protesters in their schoolwork and occupation of a building. These individual actions should be dealt with. But whatever they are protesting is not the point. And they made it the point. It’s like they never dealt with kids before.

Part of the issue is that some faculty have also expressed solidarity with the political points of the protestors. Which was dumb of them.

Why is that a problem? Faculty should be able to comment freely on either side of this and any issue.

I mean you have donors trying to influence university positions by threatening to withhold gifts. It seemed crude but influencing policy with money (which is a form of speech) is as American as apple pie.

Faculty showed up to protect the protesters after they had been told to evacuate and remove their illegal encampment.
Faculty should be able to comment freely, but not aid and abet the students who were clearly breaking the rules.
I am glad the faculty is showing who they are........ perhaps perspective students will see this and make their decisions accordingly.

Everything was legal in Nazi Germany, in Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Afghanistan etc. etc. etc. Rules made by a power class to benefit itself do not supersede inalienable rights and values granted to every human by Nature/God (whatever you believe in).

The right to private property is an inalienable right and protesters have no right to violate that to camp in buildings that don’t belong to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just believe that college campuses should be where kids go to study. Any protests about anything should not be taking place on the college campuses, or if they occur, should be limited to 1 hour at a set time with a beginning and end. The never ending protests interrupt the education of not only the protesters but the other students who are not involved. Shouldn’t they be studying for finals now? If my kid wanted to protest, I would tell them they can do that during the summer but they are in college to get an education. I remember attending a 1 hour protest at my university a long time ago, where we listened to speakers and then went back to studying.

Well, 1A doesn’t have a one hour time limit. To be clear, I have the WM student and posted above. I don’t want her (or her sibling at a SLAC) protesting during finals either. And thus far, they’ve shown good judgment IMO. Especially the WM kid, because she is in IR and wants a job down the line where she will need a security clearance. Which an arrest would complicate. Or worse. BUT, my kids are now adults. And while I try to help when I can, ultimately, they don’t have to “obey me” (although they must respect house rules when they are at home) and they own the consequences of their actions.

I love them. I don’t have to love everything they do. I think they make very good decisions, especially given their ages. But when they don’t, they need to do everything they can to fix it before they come to me. Then I’ll help, if I can. But if you, for example, skip classes and tank a grade, not much I can do.

You”go and get” a 10 year old. A 21 year old, you voice concern and hope it works out for them. It’s what makes parenting young adults so damn hard. You don’t have a lot of control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long story short, it is the right of American citizens to protest, if it doesn’t suit a certain narrative then it’s not their problem. If these kids want to protest, then they have every right to do so, there is a big Zionist lobby that has tried to control every opinion and aspect of this conflict since 10/7 and anyone not agreeing with Israel is promptly labeled antisemitic. Frankly, it’s nauseating.

It is their right. But their pro-Hamas protests win no hearts or minds.

The right wingers and administrators who are siccing the cops on them aren’t winning any hearts and minds either.

They are breaking the law by violently protesting, accosting police, and trespassing. Yet you think there should be no consequences? Of course you do. This is why normal, sane people think you are crazy.

This started with a bunch of dumb college kids camping in tents holding signs. The administration could have just ignored them and let them be stupid. They overreacted and made this a power game.

+1. It’s like University Presidents are CEOs with no actual understanding of college kids.

I talked to my college kid (on a so far protest free campus, thank goodness) last weekend. They were having trouble with a housemate’s behavior. And I reminded them that we weren’t in September, when a permanent solution to the behavior was needed to avoid an unpleasant school year. Instead, a light touch and keeping the peach for 10 days would get them through finals and that they weren’t scheduled to room with that person next year.

Columbia’s President kow-towed to the extreme right in Congress, because they had cancelled prior university presidents. And then followed through by dealing with theColumbia protestors with a heavy hand *from a war room in DC* with no attempts to deescalate or contain the protestors first. And it backfired bigly. Anyone who actual knows college kids could have told her that would happen. She massively over reacted, and there was a backlash.

There is an alternative universe where she ignored the students and dealt with any specific behaviors that were actually violent or threatening (as opposed to expressing a distasteful viewpoint or being annoying, which is the point of protest and is protected under 1A). Had professors flunk kids who didn’t show up for finals. And issued trespassing citations and cut off campus building key card access for kids who were not off campus within 24-48 hours after their last final (the rule at my kids college). And most of the kids would have dispersed before commencement.

Then she doubled down on what didn’t work yesterday, and now they took over a campus building.

It’s like she had no understanding of college kids and is a Fortune 500 CEO primarily there to make donors happy and have an occasional orchestrated photo op with students. Because that’s what she is.

I have no idea why she did not just ignore them as group until the end of the semester, discipline only bad actors, and wait for summer DP vacation, when everyone could take a breath and calm down.

Stupid. What she did was stupid. Divorced from the reality of how 18-22 year olds think annd operate. And seemed designed to cause more problems than it solved.

+1000

The issue is not the topic of the protest which no university should really express an opinion on. The issue is the disruption of other students rights to an education, any possible violence against others, non participation by the protesters in their schoolwork and occupation of a building. These individual actions should be dealt with. But whatever they are protesting is not the point. And they made it the point. It’s like they never dealt with kids before.

Part of the issue is that some faculty have also expressed solidarity with the political points of the protestors. Which was dumb of them.

Why is that a problem? Faculty should be able to comment freely on either side of this and any issue.

I mean you have donors trying to influence university positions by threatening to withhold gifts. It seemed crude but influencing policy with money (which is a form of speech) is as American as apple pie.

Faculty showed up to protect the protesters after they had been told to evacuate and remove their illegal encampment.
Faculty should be able to comment freely, but not aid and abet the students who were clearly breaking the rules.
I am glad the faculty is showing who they are........ perhaps perspective students will see this and make their decisions accordingly.

Everything was legal in Nazi Germany, in Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Afghanistan etc. etc. etc. Rules made by a power class to benefit itself do not supersede inalienable rights and values granted to every human by Nature/God (whatever you believe in).

The right to private property is an inalienable right and protesters have no right to violate that to camp in buildings that don’t belong to them.

Pretty sure students have been doing sit-ins for decades, if not longer, for one reason or another, some better, some worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Americans are not stupid. They reject what these entitled brats are doing.

First, Harvard Harris polls are done by an extreme right group, not Harvard. Second, they are crap because they write questions that assume the answers they want, rather than being neutrally worded. For example, almost no one supports ‘“violent antisemitism”, but most of these protests are not violent and are anti Zionist, not anti semester. I’ve seen a similar poll where the binary question was “support Israel or Hama”. Again, almost no one supports Hamas. They support innocent civilians in Gaza, who do not belong to Hamas.

Now, I would be interested in neutrally worded polls from a responsible and respected pollster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long story short, it is the right of American citizens to protest, if it doesn’t suit a certain narrative then it’s not their problem. If these kids want to protest, then they have every right to do so, there is a big Zionist lobby that has tried to control every opinion and aspect of this conflict since 10/7 and anyone not agreeing with Israel is promptly labeled antisemitic. Frankly, it’s nauseating.

It is their right. But their pro-Hamas protests win no hearts or minds.

The right wingers and administrators who are siccing the cops on them aren’t winning any hearts and minds either.

They are breaking the law by violently protesting, accosting police, and trespassing. Yet you think there should be no consequences? Of course you do. This is why normal, sane people think you are crazy.

This started with a bunch of dumb college kids camping in tents holding signs. The administration could have just ignored them and let them be stupid. They overreacted and made this a power game.

+1. It’s like University Presidents are CEOs with no actual understanding of college kids.

I talked to my college kid (on a so far protest free campus, thank goodness) last weekend. They were having trouble with a housemate’s behavior. And I reminded them that we weren’t in September, when a permanent solution to the behavior was needed to avoid an unpleasant school year. Instead, a light touch and keeping the peach for 10 days would get them through finals and that they weren’t scheduled to room with that person next year.

Columbia’s President kow-towed to the extreme right in Congress, because they had cancelled prior university presidents. And then followed through by dealing with theColumbia protestors with a heavy hand *from a war room in DC* with no attempts to deescalate or contain the protestors first. And it backfired bigly. Anyone who actual knows college kids could have told her that would happen. She massively over reacted, and there was a backlash.

There is an alternative universe where she ignored the students and dealt with any specific behaviors that were actually violent or threatening (as opposed to expressing a distasteful viewpoint or being annoying, which is the point of protest and is protected under 1A). Had professors flunk kids who didn’t show up for finals. And issued trespassing citations and cut off campus building key card access for kids who were not off campus within 24-48 hours after their last final (the rule at my kids college). And most of the kids would have dispersed before commencement.

Then she doubled down on what didn’t work yesterday, and now they took over a campus building.

It’s like she had no understanding of college kids and is a Fortune 500 CEO primarily there to make donors happy and have an occasional orchestrated photo op with students. Because that’s what she is.

I have no idea why she did not just ignore them as group until the end of the semester, discipline only bad actors, and wait for summer DP vacation, when everyone could take a breath and calm down.

Stupid. What she did was stupid. Divorced from the reality of how 18-22 year olds think annd operate. And seemed designed to cause more problems than it solved.

+1000

The issue is not the topic of the protest which no university should really express an opinion on. The issue is the disruption of other students rights to an education, any possible violence against others, non participation by the protesters in their schoolwork and occupation of a building. These individual actions should be dealt with. But whatever they are protesting is not the point. And they made it the point. It’s like they never dealt with kids before.

Part of the issue is that some faculty have also expressed solidarity with the political points of the protestors. Which was dumb of them.

Why is that a problem? Faculty should be able to comment freely on either side of this and any issue.

I mean you have donors trying to influence university positions by threatening to withhold gifts. It seemed crude but influencing policy with money (which is a form of speech) is as American as apple pie.

Faculty showed up to protect the protesters after they had been told to evacuate and remove their illegal encampment.
Faculty should be able to comment freely, but not aid and abet the students who were clearly breaking the rules.
I am glad the faculty is showing who they are........ perhaps perspective students will see this and make their decisions accordingly.

Everything was legal in Nazi Germany, in Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Afghanistan etc. etc. etc. Rules made by a power class to benefit itself do not supersede inalienable rights and values granted to every human by Nature/God (whatever you believe in).

The right to private property is an inalienable right and protesters have no right to violate that to camp in buildings that don’t belong to them.

Pretty sure students have been doing sit-ins for decades, if not longer, for one reason or another, some better, some worse.

Doesn’t matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long story short, it is the right of American citizens to protest, if it doesn’t suit a certain narrative then it’s not their problem. If these kids want to protest, then they have every right to do so, there is a big Zionist lobby that has tried to control every opinion and aspect of this conflict since 10/7 and anyone not agreeing with Israel is promptly labeled antisemitic. Frankly, it’s nauseating.

It is their right. But their pro-Hamas protests win no hearts or minds.

The right wingers and administrators who are siccing the cops on them aren’t winning any hearts and minds either.

They are breaking the law by violently protesting, accosting police, and trespassing. Yet you think there should be no consequences? Of course you do. This is why normal, sane people think you are crazy.

This started with a bunch of dumb college kids camping in tents holding signs. The administration could have just ignored them and let them be stupid. They overreacted and made this a power game.

+1. It’s like University Presidents are CEOs with no actual understanding of college kids.

I talked to my college kid (on a so far protest free campus, thank goodness) last weekend. They were having trouble with a housemate’s behavior. And I reminded them that we weren’t in September, when a permanent solution to the behavior was needed to avoid an unpleasant school year. Instead, a light touch and keeping the peach for 10 days would get them through finals and that they weren’t scheduled to room with that person next year.

Columbia’s President kow-towed to the extreme right in Congress, because they had cancelled prior university presidents. And then followed through by dealing with theColumbia protestors with a heavy hand *from a war room in DC* with no attempts to deescalate or contain the protestors first. And it backfired bigly. Anyone who actual knows college kids could have told her that would happen. She massively over reacted, and there was a backlash.

There is an alternative universe where she ignored the students and dealt with any specific behaviors that were actually violent or threatening (as opposed to expressing a distasteful viewpoint or being annoying, which is the point of protest and is protected under 1A). Had professors flunk kids who didn’t show up for finals. And issued trespassing citations and cut off campus building key card access for kids who were not off campus within 24-48 hours after their last final (the rule at my kids college). And most of the kids would have dispersed before commencement.

Then she doubled down on what didn’t work yesterday, and now they took over a campus building.

It’s like she had no understanding of college kids and is a Fortune 500 CEO primarily there to make donors happy and have an occasional orchestrated photo op with students. Because that’s what she is.

I have no idea why she did not just ignore them as group until the end of the semester, discipline only bad actors, and wait for summer DP vacation, when everyone could take a breath and calm down.

Stupid. What she did was stupid. Divorced from the reality of how 18-22 year olds think annd operate. And seemed designed to cause more problems than it solved.

+1000

The issue is not the topic of the protest which no university should really express an opinion on. The issue is the disruption of other students rights to an education, any possible violence against others, non participation by the protesters in their schoolwork and occupation of a building. These individual actions should be dealt with. But whatever they are protesting is not the point. And they made it the point. It’s like they never dealt with kids before.

Part of the issue is that some faculty have also expressed solidarity with the political points of the protestors. Which was dumb of them.

Why is that a problem? Faculty should be able to comment freely on either side of this and any issue.

I mean you have donors trying to influence university positions by threatening to withhold gifts. It seemed crude but influencing policy with money (which is a form of speech) is as American as apple pie.

Faculty showed up to protect the protesters after they had been told to evacuate and remove their illegal encampment.
Faculty should be able to comment freely, but not aid and abet the students who were clearly breaking the rules.
I am glad the faculty is showing who they are........ perhaps perspective students will see this and make their decisions accordingly.

Everything was legal in Nazi Germany, in Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Afghanistan etc. etc. etc. Rules made by a power class to benefit itself do not supersede inalienable rights and values granted to every human by Nature/God (whatever you believe in).

The right to private property is an inalienable right and protesters have no right to violate that to camp in buildings that don’t belong to them.

Pretty sure students have been doing sit-ins for decades, if not longer, for one reason or another, some better, some worse.

Don’t cloak yourself in morality while violating the rights of others. The fact that others have done this is the past doesn’t excuse it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long story short, it is the right of American citizens to protest, if it doesn’t suit a certain narrative then it’s not their problem. If these kids want to protest, then they have every right to do so, there is a big Zionist lobby that has tried to control every opinion and aspect of this conflict since 10/7 and anyone not agreeing with Israel is promptly labeled antisemitic. Frankly, it’s nauseating.

It is their right. But their pro-Hamas protests win no hearts or minds.

The right wingers and administrators who are siccing the cops on them aren’t winning any hearts and minds either.

They are breaking the law by violently protesting, accosting police, and trespassing. Yet you think there should be no consequences? Of course you do. This is why normal, sane people think you are crazy.

This started with a bunch of dumb college kids camping in tents holding signs. The administration could have just ignored them and let them be stupid. They overreacted and made this a power game.

+1. It’s like University Presidents are CEOs with no actual understanding of college kids.

I talked to my college kid (on a so far protest free campus, thank goodness) last weekend. They were having trouble with a housemate’s behavior. And I reminded them that we weren’t in September, when a permanent solution to the behavior was needed to avoid an unpleasant school year. Instead, a light touch and keeping the peach for 10 days would get them through finals and that they weren’t scheduled to room with that person next year.

Columbia’s President kow-towed to the extreme right in Congress, because they had cancelled prior university presidents. And then followed through by dealing with theColumbia protestors with a heavy hand *from a war room in DC* with no attempts to deescalate or contain the protestors first. And it backfired bigly. Anyone who actual knows college kids could have told her that would happen. She massively over reacted, and there was a backlash.

There is an alternative universe where she ignored the students and dealt with any specific behaviors that were actually violent or threatening (as opposed to expressing a distasteful viewpoint or being annoying, which is the point of protest and is protected under 1A). Had professors flunk kids who didn’t show up for finals. And issued trespassing citations and cut off campus building key card access for kids who were not off campus within 24-48 hours after their last final (the rule at my kids college). And most of the kids would have dispersed before commencement.

Then she doubled down on what didn’t work yesterday, and now they took over a campus building.

It’s like she had no understanding of college kids and is a Fortune 500 CEO primarily there to make donors happy and have an occasional orchestrated photo op with students. Because that’s what she is.

I have no idea why she did not just ignore them as group until the end of the semester, discipline only bad actors, and wait for summer DP vacation, when everyone could take a breath and calm down.

Stupid. What she did was stupid. Divorced from the reality of how 18-22 year olds think annd operate. And seemed designed to cause more problems than it solved.

+1000

The issue is not the topic of the protest which no university should really express an opinion on. The issue is the disruption of other students rights to an education, any possible violence against others, non participation by the protesters in their schoolwork and occupation of a building. These individual actions should be dealt with. But whatever they are protesting is not the point. And they made it the point. It’s like they never dealt with kids before.

Part of the issue is that some faculty have also expressed solidarity with the political points of the protestors. Which was dumb of them.

Why is that a problem? Faculty should be able to comment freely on either side of this and any issue.

I mean you have donors trying to influence university positions by threatening to withhold gifts. It seemed crude but influencing policy with money (which is a form of speech) is as American as apple pie.

Faculty showed up to protect the protesters after they had been told to evacuate and remove their illegal encampment.
Faculty should be able to comment freely, but not aid and abet the students who were clearly breaking the rules.
I am glad the faculty is showing who they are........ perhaps perspective students will see this and make their decisions accordingly.

Everything was legal in Nazi Germany, in Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Afghanistan etc. etc. etc. Rules made by a power class to benefit itself do not supersede inalienable rights and values granted to every human by Nature/God (whatever you believe in).

The right to private property is an inalienable right and protesters have no right to violate that to camp in buildings that don’t belong to them.

Pretty sure students have been doing sit-ins for decades, if not longer, for one reason or another, some better, some worse.

Sure but there’s a big difference. With the lunch counter sit ins, the protesting students went to the lunch counters and asked to be served and then when they were inevitably not served, they just … sat. And waited. And they were invariably arrested and taken to jail. They didn’t set up literal camps and violently clash with the police.

There’s something very not grassroots about these encampments. A bunch of college students in NYC have tents in their tiny apartments or student housing? Professors or staff (not all of which are high paid) have tents and supplies at the ready? I find that very hard to believe. The protestors are being funded, supplied, and organized by other outside organizations. Out of 100 individuals arrested at an encampment at Washington University in St. Louis, only 27 were university connected - 23 students and 4 employees. https://source.wustl.edu/2024/04/statement-regarding-campus-protest/

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Americans are not stupid. They reject what these entitled brats are doing.

First, Harvard Harris polls are done by an extreme right group, not Harvard. Second, they are crap because they write questions that assume the answers they want, rather than being neutrally worded. For example, almost no one supports ‘“violent antisemitism”, but most of these protests are not violent and are anti Zionist, not anti semester. I’ve seen a similar poll where the binary question was “support Israel or Hama”. Again, almost no one supports Hamas. They support innocent civilians in Gaza, who do not belong to Hamas.

Now, I would be interested in neutrally worded polls from a responsible and respected pollster.

The people in Gaza support Hamas. If they didn't they would have had mass arrests following the attack on Israel.

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Anonymous wrote:Long story short, it is the right of American citizens to protest, if it doesn’t suit a certain narrative then it’s not their problem. If these kids want to protest, then they have every right to do so, there is a big Zionist lobby that has tried to control every opinion and aspect of this conflict since 10/7 and anyone not agreeing with Israel is promptly labeled antisemitic. Frankly, it’s nauseating.

It is their right. But their pro-Hamas protests win no hearts or minds.

The right wingers and administrators who are siccing the cops on them aren’t winning any hearts and minds either.

They are breaking the law by violently protesting, accosting police, and trespassing. Yet you think there should be no consequences? Of course you do. This is why normal, sane people think you are crazy.

This started with a bunch of dumb college kids camping in tents holding signs. The administration could have just ignored them and let them be stupid. They overreacted and made this a power game.

+1. It’s like University Presidents are CEOs with no actual understanding of college kids.

I talked to my college kid (on a so far protest free campus, thank goodness) last weekend. They were having trouble with a housemate’s behavior. And I reminded them that we weren’t in September, when a permanent solution to the behavior was needed to avoid an unpleasant school year. Instead, a light touch and keeping the peach for 10 days would get them through finals and that they weren’t scheduled to room with that person next year.

Columbia’s President kow-towed to the extreme right in Congress, because they had cancelled prior university presidents. And then followed through by dealing with theColumbia protestors with a heavy hand *from a war room in DC* with no attempts to deescalate or contain the protestors first. And it backfired bigly. Anyone who actual knows college kids could have told her that would happen. She massively over reacted, and there was a backlash.

There is an alternative universe where she ignored the students and dealt with any specific behaviors that were actually violent or threatening (as opposed to expressing a distasteful viewpoint or being annoying, which is the point of protest and is protected under 1A). Had professors flunk kids who didn’t show up for finals. And issued trespassing citations and cut off campus building key card access for kids who were not off campus within 24-48 hours after their last final (the rule at my kids college). And most of the kids would have dispersed before commencement.

Then she doubled down on what didn’t work yesterday, and now they took over a campus building.

It’s like she had no understanding of college kids and is a Fortune 500 CEO primarily there to make donors happy and have an occasional orchestrated photo op with students. Because that’s what she is.

I have no idea why she did not just ignore them as group until the end of the semester, discipline only bad actors, and wait for summer DP vacation, when everyone could take a breath and calm down.

Stupid. What she did was stupid. Divorced from the reality of how 18-22 year olds think annd operate. And seemed designed to cause more problems than it solved.

+1000

The issue is not the topic of the protest which no university should really express an opinion on. The issue is the disruption of other students rights to an education, any possible violence against others, non participation by the protesters in their schoolwork and occupation of a building. These individual actions should be dealt with. But whatever they are protesting is not the point. And they made it the point. It’s like they never dealt with kids before.

Part of the issue is that some faculty have also expressed solidarity with the political points of the protestors. Which was dumb of them.

Why is that a problem? Faculty should be able to comment freely on either side of this and any issue.

I mean you have donors trying to influence university positions by threatening to withhold gifts. It seemed crude but influencing policy with money (which is a form of speech) is as American as apple pie.

Faculty showed up to protect the protesters after they had been told to evacuate and remove their illegal encampment.
Faculty should be able to comment freely, but not aid and abet the students who were clearly breaking the rules.
I am glad the faculty is showing who they are........ perhaps perspective students will see this and make their decisions accordingly.

Everything was legal in Nazi Germany, in Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Afghanistan etc. etc. etc. Rules made by a power class to benefit itself do not supersede inalienable rights and values granted to every human by Nature/God (whatever you believe in).

The right to private property is an inalienable right and protesters have no right to violate that to camp in buildings that don’t belong to them.

Pretty sure students have been doing sit-ins for decades, if not longer, for one reason or another, some better, some worse.

Sure but there’s a big difference. With the lunch counter sit ins, the protesting students went to the lunch counters and asked to be served and then when they were inevitably not served, they just … sat. And waited. And they were invariably arrested and taken to jail. They didn’t set up literal camps and violently clash with the police.

There’s something very not grassroots about these encampments. A bunch of college students in NYC have tents in their tiny apartments or student housing? Professors or staff (not all of which are high paid) have tents and supplies at the ready? I find that very hard to believe. The protestors are being funded, supplied, and organized by other outside organizations. Out of 100 individuals arrested at an encampment at Washington University in St. Louis, only 27 were university connected - 23 students and 4 employees. https://source.wustl.edu/2024/04/statement-regarding-campus-protest/

The sources of outside funding have been widely reported.