Reading The Imperial University, by Piya Chattergee and Sunaina Maira
exposed me for the first time to first-hand student accounts of the past
student protests at UCSC and UC Davis. Piya mentions how surreal it was for her
to witness the police using militaristic tactics in containing student
protestors at UCSC. There were nonviolent student protestors, trying to
peacefully protest tuition hikes by the UC Regents, and they were met with
armed resistance. She describes it as a “performance of power”, which is a very
apt explanation. The message from those in charge of the University System to
students was obvious; They were in charge, and the students have no say in the
operations of their own University. In many ways, this reminded me of the
British Imperialistic society of the past. The students in this scenario seem
no difference than the Indian people, let by Gandhi, who peacefully protested
the British rule of India. In both scenarios, the “ruling power” used a display
of military force on peaceful protestors, a “performance of power” to squash
any further resistance. What is the most insane to me is that we do not live in
an Imperialistic country. In the United States, some of our most celebrated
human rights are the right to free speech, and freedom of assembly. It is using
these means that the founding fathers had founded this country in the first
place. My question is how can it possibly seem reasonable to university
administrators to use military force to suppress student protests? I don’t understand
how these people, supposedly of sound mind and conscience can even think of not
only condoning, but directly requesting such behavior.
References:
1.Chatterjee, P., & Maira, S. (2014). The Imperial University. London: University of Minnesota Press.
2. City Hill Press. "Six Students Arrested during protest on Highway 17" [Image] Retrieved from http://www.cityonahillpress.com/2015/03/03/update-six-students-arrested-during-protest-on-highway-17/
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