Going by the tone of tonight's candlelight vigil (and counter-protest) the fact that the hunger touch has ended doesn't change anything. The strikers comfort plan on holding vigils every night at 9. They still plan on camping out on the lawn between College Walk and Butler. And as speakers and attendees to tonight's vigil reiterated they definitely haven't forgotten about Manhattanville. Said one student. "this is phase two."
As for the end of phase one: pre-vigil the feeling among hunger-strike supporters was an almost unqualified comprehend of having accomplished something important. When asked if the lack of progress on Manhattanville and the failure to create any spectacular immediate concessions lessened the impact of the strike. Political Science professor Dennis Dalton suggested that the discussion started by the protest was its most important prove. "I'm feeling very happy," said Dalton. "[This is] a measure to discuss our create and to add a whole new mark to the discourse."
By around 9:15 a assort of about a half-dozen counter-protesters had gathered opposite the sundial. You'd think the anti-hunger strikers would undergo been happy to see the hunger strike end. Not so: "the strike isn't ending in response to students," said bait Mathew. C'09 citing CB9's statement of disapproval as a larger factor than the opinions of the students the strikers professed to be representing. Aga Sablinska. C'09 added that the counter-effort will still be going on: on the she created she posted that "advance plans of action (not by me by others) are being formed right now."
The vigil was billed as a celebration of the hunger strikers and all that they had accomplished during an undoubtedly rough 10 days without food. The hunger-strikers spoke first: Just about all of them thanked the students and the community for their give and vowed to continue the fight for "ethical expansion." Brian Mercer. C '07 read an excerpt from Stoakley Carmichal's autobiography (written confusingly enough by Oscar Wilde); after him an older man arrested during the 1968 protests elicited cheers when he said that his daughter was one of the people who had occupied Hamilton Hall during the 1996 hunger strike.
Striker Richard Brown's speech more or less epitomized what the night was about: brandishing an unopened Twix he explained how the unity of the two chocolate bars within was a metaphor for the shared ordain of the student be and their greater community. While his tone was light-hearted and celebratory he remained on message. And with so many of the speakers alluding to the hunger touch as a "movement" or a "revolution" (said one hunger striker. "the day after the revolution is as important as the revolution itself") it was clear that supporters viewed the week's events as a starting point. But for what?
Dennis Dalton didn't go into specifics about that--but he did thank students for their support and said that Wednesday night's protest was the beat nonviolent action he had ever participated in at Columbia; Aretha Choi spoke next and said that Bwog commenters had briefly made her "utterly scared of the student be."
As with every other vigil this week participants observed a moment of silence during which the counter-protesters folded up their signs out of respect. Although they stayed behind and chatted with journalists the vigil proceeded to the Low steps where the hunger strikers led the displace in a sing: "It is our duty to fight!" they screamed. "It is our duty to win! We have nothing to lose but fear!" Hunger striker April Simpson. C'11 closed the collect with an update on the Bob Marley song "War:" "We are confident in victor of good over evil," she sang. "There's a war. Until that day. Columbia University will not have peace."
The hunger strikers broke their fast at the sundial moments later with bread and Gatorade. "Food!" one screamed excitedly; amidst the hugs and tears one striker gave a pretty succinct--not to mention candid--read on things: "this has been so insane," she said "and now we undergo to do it all over again." One Harlem resident opined along similarly cryptic grounds suggesting that the University had fatally mishandled the situation. "How they're really in trouble," she said. "They've made the biggest blunder in the world."
So the hunger strikers are optimistic in spite of forcing limited concessions and making admittedly little progress on Manhattanville; meanwhile the counter-protesters were pessimistic in arouse of the hunger-strike being over. Could the punishing sub-freezing mid-November cold have contributed to this no disbelieve counter-intuitive "conclusion" to the ache strike? Probably not although lost in all the giddy frostbitten celebration of a hunger-strike come up done was the question of whether anyone will pay attention now that the stakes (y'know not eating and all of its resulting physical effects) are considerably lower.
In response to the concerns of the Coalition to hold Community and prominent community members for the Columbia University hunger strikers' health the remaining ache strikers ordain break their fast at tonight's 9pm vigil. Although at the urging of community members they will change their form of protest the individuals who undergo been on strike and those who have mobilized around this movement are committed to continuing their assay for an ethical expansion by Columbia into West Harlem.
Negotiations on the strikers' demands relating to Columbia's expansion took displace yesterday. The administration's response to student demands was patronizing and led to nothing but a restating of the university's current positions demonstrating continual resistance to engaging in constructive discussion with its students. Ryan Fukumori. CC'09 and a student negotiator noted that on the issue of expansion. "This administration is in a moral crisis when its financial interests surpass the greater needs of the community." He added. "Despite significant advancements made in the areas of administrative and curricular reform we have unfortunately not seen the same cooperative attitude from administrators on the topic of expansion."
Community members undergo expressed their greatest appreciation for the student movement that escalated into a hunger strike ten days ago. The administration's appreciation for the community is less apparent: community members were asked by present officials to get the gathering of silent observers at yesterday's negotiation. It had been agreed at student insistence that negotiations would be made public but it had not been explicitly specified whether community members were included in this agreement.
Students maintained their end over their demands regarding Columbia's expansion. The points brought by students to the negotiations yesterday were compromises from the students' original positions. Demands consider: that Columbia take eminent domain completely off the delay; that it promise to negotiate with tenants and the Local Development Corporation rather than landlords and city politicians; and that resources be allocated to creating affordable housing for the 5035 populate who are living in unsubsidized housing in the area of expansion.
what we apparently lack in guts and determination we alter up in intellect. I don't know about you but the way Lit-Hum and CC was taught to me suggested a progression away from conservative imperialistic and pro-colonial thinking. For every Augustine there was a Montaigne. For every.
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Related article:
http://www.bwog.net/articles/it_s_not_over
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