For me, the question is, why didn't Kerrey, having been through this once before, at least show up and try to talk to the students? I think the protestors were clumsy and ineffective. But, Kerrey is the President of the school, has been through a bunch of protests - and a major no-confidence vote from his own faculty. That he didn't at least show up and try to talk to the occupiers shows how out of it he is.
God, just looked at the list of those arrested, many former classmates (and friends!) of mine from Lang who went on to pursue doctorates at The Graduate Faculty. Of the names I know, most of self supporting, many from poor and working class backgrounds. All of whom, believe in the original mission of the New School and were courted by other universities for their scholarship (at the doctoral level) but remained at the New School because of unique course offerings and outstanding faculty (all of whom voted NO CONFIDENCE) in Kerry. Not sure what went on yesterday, but I do know several of these folks and they are nothing like NYU undergrads. I'm talking about people who truly walk the walk that they talk without a safety net in the form of wealthy parents or a trust fund.
@kitkatsplash: So these people should use their connections and learn how to do effective protest. I worked at NYU in the 80's when we had a lot of problems with the administration* and our union leaders, with the help of the Central Labor Council and lots of other unions and labor organizations kept us informed and trained in how to handle problems. As I recall from years back, The New School has had sucky administration. Time they got it together and got serious about it.
*NYU has ALWAYS had crap administration. Pardon the redundancy.
@SarahHeartburn: I went to NYU for grad school, so I'm well aware and in total agreement. And, you're right, I'm kinda disappointed. I would have liked them to do a more informed boot camp of sorts to get ready. Funny this is, of the people I recognize, many have participated in far more effective initiatives. I wonder if the heat around campus is so high that rash acting out became inevitable.
Oh yeah. I really believe that two cops were assaulted after seeing that video. You know, the video where the cop shoved a guy in the face, knocked him to the ground, then five or six cops piled on him like he was Osama bin Laden holding the football near the end zone in a Superbowl game? (I know, unlikely scenario, but think about how fun that would be!)
Sounds like the NY laws are a little soft. In Florida, breaking into a building with crow bars and grabbing someone would carry the charge of Armed Occupied Burglary with a Battery. It carries a life sentence not to exceed 40 years.
People could have been seriously hurt by this. I find it hard to believe how many people on the previous post were concerned about an overly dramatic kid getting taken down by a cop, when the police had all of this going on.
I am glad to see that the criminals surrendered without further incident. Maybe they can get a second chance at the life that they would have completely pissed away had they done this in any jurisdiction that takes dealing with criminal behavior seriously.
@ChillbearLatrigue: Hah, I do love how the division on any protesters v. cops situation has Republicans/conservatives/etc. siding with the cops almost all the time, and vice versa.
Why not just shorten all your future posts on these issues into one sentence: "Get off my lawn, you punks!"
@ChillbearLatrigue: In Florida you can probably marry your twin, sleep with your first cousin, and wistfully still wish that Rudy Giuliani were our president. That doesn't make it right. I agree that these student protesters are somewhat humorously naive to attempt this stuff without a particularly coherent set of principles or more importantly discernable mass movement to back them up. But that doesn't mean they are criminals. In the words of some great philosophers, "Fuck tha police."
@leonleonleon: I try to look at each situation uniquely. I think the video should be reviewed by the Department to see if the force in that particular incident was excessive. I look at it that most people side with the cops. It's usually the most liberal that don't think they serve an important purpose.
@scarletmenace: I have a little working definition of a criminal: One who willingly commits a crime.
These students weren't just slipping a horse into Dean Wormer's office. They assaulted a maintenance guy and robbed him of his radio (when you forcibly remove property from someone it is robbery). They hurt a security supervisor who was trying to do his job. In addition, there was damage done to the school property. That is what makes them criminals.
"I agree that these student protesters are somewhat humorously naive to attempt this stuff without a particularly coherent set of principles or more importantly discernable mass movement to back them up. But that doesn't mean they are criminals."
So, for instance, the KKK was justified in their acts of terror, because they have a coherent set of principles and a mass movement? Or is it just that we are going to back the criminal groups that we feel reflect enlightened ideology?
You can "fuck the police" if you like, but I don't recommend it. It usually doesn't work out well for the resister.
@ChillbearLatrigue: I was in the reverse situation once, when there was a labor dispute in my workplace and the lawyer for the other group of workers grabbed a phone out of my hand, (I was calling our legally voted union rep), then chased me up the stairs, blocking my way several times, tunred the bolt on the lock on the front door of the school and screamed instlts at me. Luckily, there was a representative from the Ministry of Labor (I'm talking about another country)who intervened and told the guy to shut up and behave.
My point is that whether you're right or wrong, once you've entered into a process of sit in, strike, legally or not, who have to think carefully about what you're goint to do and how you're going to do it. From what I've read about NYU and New School students' tactics - and I do agree with their complaints, in many cases - they need a stage manager, fast.
I wouldn't talk too much about NY's "lax" laws in comparison to Florida. See, in New York City, a previously diagnosed mentally ill woman cannot walk into a gun range with her son, rent a handgun, then shoot her son in the back of the head. Now you try to talk to me about lax laws...
Nobody died in this protest. Why don't you guys down there work on some laws that actually save lives?
oh, come one people, all this talk about pepperspray like it's a bad thing. just get yourself caught in a nice nypd wasabi spray stream with a mouthful of expertly-cut, murderously fresh yellowfin... a drop of perfection, i say.
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*NYU has ALWAYS had crap administration. Pardon the redundancy.
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People could have been seriously hurt by this. I find it hard to believe how many people on the previous post were concerned about an overly dramatic kid getting taken down by a cop, when the police had all of this going on.
I am glad to see that the criminals surrendered without further incident. Maybe they can get a second chance at the life that they would have completely pissed away had they done this in any jurisdiction that takes dealing with criminal behavior seriously.
04/11/09
Why not just shorten all your future posts on these issues into one sentence: "Get off my lawn, you punks!"
04/11/09
04/11/09
@scarletmenace: I have a little working definition of a criminal: One who willingly commits a crime.
These students weren't just slipping a horse into Dean Wormer's office. They assaulted a maintenance guy and robbed him of his radio (when you forcibly remove property from someone it is robbery). They hurt a security supervisor who was trying to do his job. In addition, there was damage done to the school property. That is what makes them criminals.
"I agree that these student protesters are somewhat humorously naive to attempt this stuff without a particularly coherent set of principles or more importantly discernable mass movement to back them up. But that doesn't mean they are criminals."
So, for instance, the KKK was justified in their acts of terror, because they have a coherent set of principles and a mass movement? Or is it just that we are going to back the criminal groups that we feel reflect enlightened ideology?
You can "fuck the police" if you like, but I don't recommend it. It usually doesn't work out well for the resister.
04/11/09
My point is that whether you're right or wrong, once you've entered into a process of sit in, strike, legally or not, who have to think carefully about what you're goint to do and how you're going to do it. From what I've read about NYU and New School students' tactics - and I do agree with their complaints, in many cases - they need a stage manager, fast.
04/11/09
04/11/09
I wouldn't talk too much about NY's "lax" laws in comparison to Florida. See, in New York City, a previously diagnosed mentally ill woman cannot walk into a gun range with her son, rent a handgun, then shoot her son in the back of the head. Now you try to talk to me about lax laws...
Nobody died in this protest. Why don't you guys down there work on some laws that actually save lives?
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