This is deja vu to me, as I was involved in the Free Speech Movement at Berkeley during 1960s and the concurrent Anti-Vietnam War Movement. Not only has nothing changed, it's gotten much worse. (There was no tuition at California public universities then; that is, pre-Ronald Reagan.) The police are the same. The administrators are the same. And the US is still killing innocent people around the world. Perhaps the only good thing is that, because of the Internet, this time the whole world is in the nightmare together.
-Joel ----- Original Message ----- From: Simon Biggs To: NetBehaviour for networked distributed creativity Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 5:19 AM Subject: Re: [NetBehaviour] Why I'm not visiting UC Davis in April. By AlexGalloway. The question here is "who" is the university? I agree, the executive should be held fully to account. But a boycott, which is what Alex is effectively proposing, hits the students and staff (members of both groups are amongst the protesters - including the convenor of the event in question, who has been involved in both the UCDavis and Berkeley protests) far more than it affects the executive. If the conference is boycotted the resources that would have been invested in the researchers and artists who would have attended will be recycled back into the University's central budget. In a sense a boycott would be doing the executive a favour, especially as the theme of the event is the ludic subversion of surveillance. There is real potential for actions arising out of or associated with that event being appropriate responses to the university executive's behaviour. Therefore, I think it remains a complex issue (not the problem but the response to it). The aim should be to take the university away from the executive and return it to those who comprise it, as a community - the students and staff. I would hope that process is underway, even if it is out of sight. Meaningful political engagement can malfunction in the glare of publicity. best Simon On 22 Nov 2011, at 11:43, marc garrett wrote: > Hi Simon, > > The University clearly spelled out how it values its students - the > issue need not be complex. > > They could of supported the students instead of getting in line with > neo-liberal rules over the 'consumer class'. > > They were wrong and we should not allow them the space to loop their way > out of such shameful actions... > > marc >> I'm also expected at that event at UCDavis. I've spoken with the convenor about it. My intention is to still attend but I've suggested the event collectively drafts a response to what has happened at UCDavis, indicating their dismay and discontent with the university's actions and solidarity with the protesters and their aims and objectives. I wonder if Alex's choice of action will be counter-productive or not? Surely you want to go there and support the protesters? But this is a complex issue. >> >> best >> >> Simon >> >> >> On 22 Nov 2011, at 10:12, marc garrett wrote: >> >>> Why I'm not visiting UC Davis in April. Alex Galloway. >>> >>> Thought some of you may be interested in this letter by Alex Galloway... >>> >>> Here is an image of the police doing their very special thing, that only >>> they are 'legally' allowed to do >>> http://davisenterprise.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/OccupyUCD3.jpg >>> >>> >>> Shameful Act: Police pepper spraying and arresting students at UC Davis >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmJmmnMkuEM >>> >>> >>> Letter >>> >>> ------------------------- >>> >>> >>> November 21, 2011 >>> >>> To >>> >>> Mark Yudof, University of California President, >>> >>> Linda P.B. Katehi, UC Davis Chancellor, >>> >>> and Linda Bisson, Chair of the UC Davis Academic Senate: >>> >>> Dear President Yudof, Chancellor Katehi, and Professor Bisson, >>> >>> I am an associate professor at New York University. I teach and write >>> about digital media and contemporary culture. I was born in California, >>> raised in Oregon and Washington, and have many times visited colleges >>> and universities across your great state. >>> >>> Several months ago I accepted an invitation to speak at UC Davis on >>> April 12-14, 2012, as part of an academic conference on new technologies. >>> >>> This last weekend the world awoke to videos depicting cruel and >>> despicable acts, performed by paramilitary police casually spraying >>> chemical agents on your peaceful students. Such actions are >>> reprehensible and absolutely contrary to the moral duties of educators >>> everywhere. These students, like many thousands around the country and >>> around the world, were peacefully protesting the recent outrageous >>> tuition hikes at the public University of California, the ballooning >>> student debt burden, and a political system that puts profits over people. >>> >>> I was dismayed to read Chancellor Katehi's statement following the >>> police attack, a statement that showed no remorse for the violence and >>> no sympathy whatsoever for the welfare and safety of her own students. >>> Likewise a subsequent letter from President Yudof, tried to spin the >>> events further, but offered nothing by way of concrete action. >>> >>> I regret therefore that I must withdraw my participation in the April >>> conference -- until Chancellor Katehi takes responsibility for her >>> actions by resigning, and until UC Davis removes its paramilitary police >>> from campus. >>> >>> While my admiration and respect for the great public universities of the >>> UC system remain strong, I cannot in good conscience visit the UC Davis >>> campus in April. I cannot support Chancellor Katehi. I cannot support >>> police brutality. And, quite simply, I fear for my own safety were I to >>> visit your campus. >>> >>> Sincerely, >>> >>> Alexander R. Galloway, PhD >>> >>> Associate Professor >>> >>> Department of Media, Culture, and Communication >>> >>> New York University >>> >>> http://cultureandcommunication.org/galloway/Why%20I%27m%20not%20visiting%20UC%20Davis%20in%20April.html >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> NetBehaviour mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour >>> >> >> Simon Biggs >> [email protected] http://www.littlepig.org.uk/ @SimonBiggsUK skype: simonbiggsuk >> >> [email protected] Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh >> http://www.eca.ac.uk/circle/ http://www.elmcip.net/ http://www.movingtargets.co.uk/ >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> NetBehaviour mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour >> > > _______________________________________________ > NetBehaviour mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour > Simon Biggs [email protected] http://www.littlepig.org.uk/ @SimonBiggsUK skype: simonbiggsuk [email protected] Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh http://www.eca.ac.uk/circle/ http://www.elmcip.net/ http://www.movingtargets.co.uk/ _______________________________________________ NetBehaviour mailing list [email protected] http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
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