Why colleges are not involved in the peace movement

[nadinbrzezinski]

(Posted this originally in GD but realized it also belongs here)

Ok, ok I went to the local state college yesterday. I must say the place was never a center of protests, but even when GW 1 started there was a reaction. So yesterday I get off the trolley and into campus, and my god I have never seen that level of apathy in my life. There was ONE older guy holding signs and calling the bushliter what he is, a terrarist, war criminal, et al

I walked by him and told him, tell like it is brother... he smiled

Of course I did have the repuke kid who followed me to the bookstore where I got some pens for my hubby, and after I paid and left the store he said LOUDLY, damn traitor I am a Republican and I support the President. (Yes you guessed brooks brother suit, tie, bidnesss student and young chicken hawk in training)

So I turned, smiled, met his beady eyes... I guess nobody had ever confronted him since I could smell the fear... "Well son I am an American and I support the Constitution, and the President has committed impeachable offenses, such as contempt of Congress and lying to Congress. By the way, care to tell me what branch of service and years of service you have given to this country? I will even give you honorary points for being a military brat."

He just stood there, mouth agape

"Now as I was saying, I can drive you down to the recruiter of your choice and have you serve over there. Or you could go down to the ROTC Program and join up. They need good officers you know and with your commitment you do seem to be the kind of officers they are looking for, never questioning orders, even ilegal ones."

He just turned

"I take it you are part of the Campus Thought Police?" He really started running. So I went back to the trolley, I was afraid he was going to go report me to the cops... problem is I know my rights and would have reminded the cops of their first two weeks in the academy. So talking to a faculty member on the ride back, I learned that indeed I was right. They have created an environment where talking against this madness is almost impossible on campus and the kids believe the shit that the WH sold them... to put it madly I was very unhappy. This is my alma matter after all and it was disconcerting to see this.

[panader0]

1. OK, you got me guessing----- what school?

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. San Diego State Universty

[trof]

2. Big difference now: No Draft.

College students had a serious stake in politics during Viet Nam.

[panader0]

3. When I went to college in'68

We burned our school beanies at the same demonstration when the girls burned their bras. I LOL to think about it.

[babylonsister]

4. GOOD FOR YOU!! You gave that kid something

to think about instead of blathering empty talking points and not backing them up! I salute you!

[woldnewton]

6. Similar story here...

the funny thing is, there is one conservative Republican Bush supporting b**ch here who moved from (where else?) Texas? She can't get a single person to back her up and join the "Young Republican" club she desperately wants to start, and this is one of the reddest county colleges in the state.

So whenever I bemoan the apathy, I console myself with the fact that the other side isn't doing much better here, either.

Meanwhile, nearby four year universities have huge college Democrat clubs, and they are often the biggest of all the various clubs on those campuses.

[Child_Of_Isis]

7. My kid goes to Oberlin.

They are very involved.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Not surprised Oberlin was also involved in the sixties

I expect berkeley to be invovled... but the level of we just don't give a ... you know what was actually shocking

[BrklynLiberal]

8. You did good!!! Had that kid running to change his underwear!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. I hope

[pretzel4gore]

11. the kid doesn't want to make the world better?

that's weird...kids want to affect the world for the better by their human nature, or at least that was my understanding; we sent men to the moon 2 generations ago, why can't we do anything like that now? maybe 2 generations of regan/thatcher and bushinc have killed dreaming and hope...maybe the prevalance of young people like that says apathetic indifference to the present/future (let the pigs have it) was the wisest thing the boomer generation did(?)

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. well to a point the kids no longer dream

but that was a bidness student... just that their attitude was not that prevalent and now... my god

[pretzel4gore]

13. limbah-humbug has been waging war against truth for 20 years

i guess blaming the young people is wrongheaded, but every youthful freeper does enormous damage to morale!

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Well I can tell you the kid started the confrontation

I guess he wanted to make an example of me. But I was not impressed by the fact that people just kept going, after all he did this in a very public and well walked area of the campus, in the middle of the day...

He said his piece I kept my voice calm but projecting and people just kept walking... I wonder if my you are part of the thought police was really that much on target.

[pretzel4gore]

15. i recall a story long ago....

there was a public school principal from detroit on the radio, discussing the problems the school was having and he ended the interview by saying that 'as terrible as the kids are now, with all the impact of all the neglect and cutbacks just imagine what they'll be like in 20 years!'...of course, the principal was referring to the bad kids from inner cities etc, but while the druggies and crinminals etc haven't gotten better, the signal difference in social pathology might well be the type of kid you encountered, and no one could have imagined that! Good job putting his worldview to the test! :)

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. It has become a bad habit of mine

but shoot I started protesting this madenss with a deployed hubby living in housing... you think I was goint to let this punk scare me?

It is actually a pleasure any longer