Week 7- Cory Takiguchi

Cory Takiguchi
ASA 03
Week 7


The article “Berkeley Free Speech Movement: Paving the way for campus activism” by Robby Cohen discusses the trials and tribulations of students standing up to campus administration. Jack Weinberg led a team of fellow student activists to fight Berkeley’s policy of no campus political activity. Weinberg’s non violent tactics, such as rallies and sit ins, sparked support within the Berkeley student body and forced the administration to listen to his group’s concerns. I believe nonviolent protests are a great form of student activism. Nobody is hurt, the group is able to voice their concerns in a sensible manner, and the administration should be open to their ideas. However, it is important to be mindful of others. I remember reading an article this summer about the protests for Trump’s immigration executive order. Protesters blocked the streets at LAX which caused many travelers to miss their flight. Although I love the idea of performing non violent protests, the personal agendas of those being affected should be respected. A passenger may have missed their one chance to visit a dying family member because the protest interfered with their flight schedule. Just like how protesters should be respectful to administration, the administration should return the favor to the activists. The administration should have an open mind and think, “well since these students are so passionate about this issue, maybe we should be doing something different.” If the protests are performed in a respect manner, the administration has no reason remove them through violent tactics. I can understand the use of aggressive tactics if the protest lasts for an excessive amount of time and disturbs others, but violent tactics should be considered a last resort. Peaceful forms of student activism are a great way to draw attention to an issue that a university’s administration may have overlooked.

 Have you seen forms of student activism on UC Davis’ campus? What were the protests about? What tactics did they use to convey their message?


 


 Cohen, Robby. (2012, June 1). Berkeley Free Speech Movement: Paving the way for campus activism. Organization of American Historians. Retrieved November 1, 2017 from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25162448?origin=JSTOR-pdf

 Complex News. (2017, June 30). ESPN’s Sage Steele Blasted for Criticisng LAX Airport Protesters. [Video File]. Retrieved November 1, 2017 from https://youtu.be/PlMDdExpLF0