Walk Out
So, today is the Walk Out. As I was getting my bagel this morning, a people next to me (who were presumably participating) cheerfully said that University of Arizona and some other state universities would be "walking out" in solidarity. As I walked into campus through Kroeber, there were four people holding signs, sipping coffee. I also had a twenty minute conversation with my professor in his office hours yesterday about the Walk Out. It was not the happiest of conversations, because we disagreed.
I cannot help but imagine the Walk Out to be an influential event, in its success or its failure. I was a little sad that there were no students this morning. After all the noise of the unanimous ASUC support, the fliering, the irate/ heated discussions in class, why no students? Perhaps at a more reasonable hour, they will wander in with their red armbands and passion.
I'm not saying that the student population is disingenuous (but I'm not saying they're not); I'm asking how conscious are they being of their decisions. How aware are they of the possible consequences? They will be aligning themselves a socio-political, economic, multi-pronged cause. Yes, we all want to "save" the UC. Yes, we agree on all the problems listed on the handy "Save the UC" handout. But, we also all have different relationships to the UC, it means different things to us. Yes, many interest groups are converging, but if you align yourself to something like the walkout, you will be undoubtably representing causes that only touch on some on your beliefs. And deserting mid-cause, saying "Oh, but I didn't mean that," is much more destructive because it comes from within.
Perhaps I'm making too much of this. My professor (one of them, anyway) said that a few people may get arrested today, in a sort of casual tone of voice. Perhaps he is willing to be arrested for this cause, but is the average student willing? (Well, maybe not the average, but the one that stands up in class and says this must be stopped and the Yeah chorus that follows.) Will the arrest remain on their permanent record? Will it affect their ability to get a job, in for instance lower education? Do people really want their children to be taught with some guy with a criminal record, and a rebellious hippie to boot?
I feel that to be genuinely involved in the Walkout, you have to be aware of the potential consequences and personal sacrifices you may be asked to make. You have to ok with that. This isn't like some blog (haha) that you can write with anonymity and thus impunity. This is not something you do because your friends do it. It's something you do because you believe in it. You have to understand the ramifications or at least think about the projected ramifications of your actions. Arguably, if Californians had done this in 1978, we couldn't even be in this mess.
Now, once, you/me/us have decided that Yes, this cause is good. Is a walk out, the massing of multiple interest groups with varying levels of anger, a good idea? Said professor (who I adore btw) says that he doubts that there will be an altercation, that this will be a celebratory process pointing out the important pedagogical, educational, rich tradition of the UC Berkeley faculty. Yes, this is the faculty walkout, but that doesn't mean that they're the only voice. He can speak for the faculty, but can he speak for the staff and the students?
I have never seen a walkout, but I have seen strikes. They are visually spectacular, but not the greatest way to convey meaning. Usually, they're chanting incoherently and no one gets close enough to the signs to actually read them. How will UC Berkeley be vilified by the media? Especially, if an altercation does break out? What will happen if everyone interviewed comes from a different vantage point? "Lower student fees!" "Fire Yudoff!" "Revoke the emergency privileges and give the faculty more of a say!" "Make California give us more money!" Will this weaken or strengthen the cause? Will a peaceful protest grace Berkeley today or will an angry, incoherent mob descend? Frankly, I'm scared.
I cannot help but imagine the Walk Out to be an influential event, in its success or its failure. I was a little sad that there were no students this morning. After all the noise of the unanimous ASUC support, the fliering, the irate/ heated discussions in class, why no students? Perhaps at a more reasonable hour, they will wander in with their red armbands and passion.
I'm not saying that the student population is disingenuous (but I'm not saying they're not); I'm asking how conscious are they being of their decisions. How aware are they of the possible consequences? They will be aligning themselves a socio-political, economic, multi-pronged cause. Yes, we all want to "save" the UC. Yes, we agree on all the problems listed on the handy "Save the UC" handout. But, we also all have different relationships to the UC, it means different things to us. Yes, many interest groups are converging, but if you align yourself to something like the walkout, you will be undoubtably representing causes that only touch on some on your beliefs. And deserting mid-cause, saying "Oh, but I didn't mean that," is much more destructive because it comes from within.
Perhaps I'm making too much of this. My professor (one of them, anyway) said that a few people may get arrested today, in a sort of casual tone of voice. Perhaps he is willing to be arrested for this cause, but is the average student willing? (Well, maybe not the average, but the one that stands up in class and says this must be stopped and the Yeah chorus that follows.) Will the arrest remain on their permanent record? Will it affect their ability to get a job, in for instance lower education? Do people really want their children to be taught with some guy with a criminal record, and a rebellious hippie to boot?
I feel that to be genuinely involved in the Walkout, you have to be aware of the potential consequences and personal sacrifices you may be asked to make. You have to ok with that. This isn't like some blog (haha) that you can write with anonymity and thus impunity. This is not something you do because your friends do it. It's something you do because you believe in it. You have to understand the ramifications or at least think about the projected ramifications of your actions. Arguably, if Californians had done this in 1978, we couldn't even be in this mess.
Now, once, you/me/us have decided that Yes, this cause is good. Is a walk out, the massing of multiple interest groups with varying levels of anger, a good idea? Said professor (who I adore btw) says that he doubts that there will be an altercation, that this will be a celebratory process pointing out the important pedagogical, educational, rich tradition of the UC Berkeley faculty. Yes, this is the faculty walkout, but that doesn't mean that they're the only voice. He can speak for the faculty, but can he speak for the staff and the students?
I have never seen a walkout, but I have seen strikes. They are visually spectacular, but not the greatest way to convey meaning. Usually, they're chanting incoherently and no one gets close enough to the signs to actually read them. How will UC Berkeley be vilified by the media? Especially, if an altercation does break out? What will happen if everyone interviewed comes from a different vantage point? "Lower student fees!" "Fire Yudoff!" "Revoke the emergency privileges and give the faculty more of a say!" "Make California give us more money!" Will this weaken or strengthen the cause? Will a peaceful protest grace Berkeley today or will an angry, incoherent mob descend? Frankly, I'm scared.