UC Berkeley hunger strike over? – PLUS: A ‘love note’ from an angry supporter
Just a few days into the hunger strike “stand off” between several dozen clueless UC Berkeley students and the university’s Chancellor, there are conflicting reports out there on whether or not the strike is officially over. The Berkeley Community Issues Examiner reports that it’s “over,” while the Daily Californian writes that the strike will continue throughout the weekend, as some of the strikers want to wait for the University’s Chancellor to return home from Europe, in spite of the statement he issued which gave into some of the demands of the strikers:
In response to the demands of hunger strikers, Chancellor Robert Birgeneau issued a statement this afternoon calling for the repeal of a recently passed Arizona immigration law, but demonstrators say they will continue their strike until Birgeneau returns to UC Berkeley from Europe next week.
About 18 students and union workers in the “Hungry for Justice Coalition” entered their 100th hour without food when Birgeneau’s statement was released. The strikers have been camped out in front of California Hall since Monday afternoon, surviving only on cranberry juice and water laced with sugar and lemon.
In the statement, Birgeneau said the passage of the new immigration law “has created a chilling climate for many members of our campus community” and that he is “profoundly distributed” by the passing of the law.
Birgeneau said other universities should serve as communities of freedom and that these ideals cannot exist while students feel they are being targeted for the color of their skin.
“SB 1070, which President Obama has called ‘misguided,’ should be repealed and replaced with comprehensive federal immigration reform that will best serve our country and protect the rights of all who aspire to live in this great nation,” Birgeneau said in the statement. “As an academic community, we stand ready to use our immense intellectual resources to assist the president in this task.”
Demonstrators said they stand by their prior demands, asking Birgeneau to publicly denounce Arizona’s immigration law; make UC Berkeley a sanctuary campus and provide extended protections for undocumented students; drop all student conduct charges against student activists; stop cuts to low-wage employees; suspend conduct procedures and initiate a democratic, student-led process to review the code; and to commit to using nonviolent means of ensuring safety at student demonstrations in the future.
In a previous statement released Wednesday, Birgeneau addressed each of the demonstrators’ six demands, but did not fully agree to them.
Representatives of the strikers met with Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost George Breslauer and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Harry Le Grande Thursday in order to discuss their concerns and demands, but they did not make negotiations.
But if you read this, it’s pretty clear that the strikers are going to come pretty close to getting what they want.
Sounds like Dumb meets Dumber all over again.
Click here and scroll down to see a few pix from the “protests.” You can view many more pix of the hunger strike via the “Hungry for Justice” Facebook page. Videos here. They don’t mind going hungry, but they sure as hell won’t be without wireless service. After all, wireless should be considered a “fundamental right” and all …
Via the “UCBerkeleyOccupation” YouTube channel, I found this Cinco de Mayo hunger strike video:
On a more personal note, I figured my post blasting the pro-illegal immigration UC Berkeley hunger strikers would make a few people upset, but I didn’t think anyone would take it to this level (language warning):
When have you assholes ever stood up for what you believed in?
If you don’t agree with their demands then state that, not “some of them look like they could lose the weight”
and calling them spoiled brats, get to know the people before you talk shit about them.You obviously don’t know them. I obviously don’t know you, but some of you alls comments are truly unnecessary, fuckers.
Signed: “supporter”
Would someone be kind enough to get this guy (gal?) a couple of blocks of tofu? He/she sounds hungry. If you think about it, buy him/her a couple of clues while you’re at it, please.
(Hey, just doing my part to help … )