Jowi Deguzman

Jowi Deguzman
Section A03

Robby Cohen’s article, Berkeley Free Speech Movement: Paving the Way for Campus Activism, relates to this week’s theme, “Academic Freedom and Its Threats - Ethnic Cover, ‘Diversity,’ and Politically Correct (PCness),” by telling the story of student activists at the University of California at Berkeley and how they were successful in protests against the campus. Cohen wrote about how the Berkeley campus had an “unenforced school regulation which prohibited campus political advocacy” and how students were told that they could “not raise money or distribute literature on campus for the civil rights movement or any other off-campus political cause.” He explains that through enough protests, strikes and other actions that show what students at the campus believed in, they were able to get what they ultimately wanted: free speech on campus. Before this protest, there was a limit on the “freedom” campuses had in academics. If anyone openly said something that was against the beliefs of the campus, they suffered consequences. They were not allowed to openly partake in anything non-campus related, especially stances on the civil war happening at that time. This article explains the beginning of academia becoming more accepting to all people. This very protest lead to how we are now able to include everyone by encouraging faculty and students to use politically correct language and even facilitate events that cater to people of all ethnicities and religions. Personally, I believe that Cohen is right. With enough protests against anything in a system, it will create an effect. Often times, protests are seen and thought of in a negative light, but as Cohen explained, at the time, Berkeley began a movement across the nation empowering young adults to stand up for what they believe in.

Media:

I chose this image because the article reminded me of this anti-Trump protest and I was at UC Davis when this occurred. Even though some say that it did not have an effect, I have seen the effects that it had done, both on campus, and throughout the nation through media.

References:

Robby Cohen. “Berkeley Free Speech Movement: Paving the Way for Campus Activism.”

Inc., M. C. (n.d.). Anti-Trump protesters gather for third night, one shot in Portland. Retrieved May 14, 2017, from http://wtvbam.com/news/articles/2016/nov/09/california-high-school-students-march-to-protest-trump-win/

Question (To Prof Valverde): What was your favorite protest that you took part in?