David Le

Section A01

Week 2 

Response to “Berkeley Free Speech Movement: Paving the Way for Campus Activism”

After reading this article, I was inspired and touched by the student’s struggle and victory. However, that was back then in the 1960s. Time have passed and lots have changed lots in our society today specifically the costs for freedom of speech. In 2011, not too long ago, a couple of aggie students were protesting for the occupy movement and then lined up to be peppered sprayed against their own will. In addition to that the officer was rewarded as a hero for his insidious deed. It troubles me that a man was rewarded for harming innocent individuals. So when reading about the free speech movement and remembering about the pepper spray incident in Davis I can’t help myself but to ask questions like: Are the costs for freedom of speech worth fighting for? Can it get any worse than this? Are there new forms of Activism that can prevent this from happening? Is protesting still effective as is it was back then?