Last weekend, the administration of the University of California-Santa Cruz caved into from demands from the African/Black Student Alliance, whose members were occupying the administration building. School authorities “agreed to give all black and Caribbean-identified students a 4-year housing guarantee to live in the Rosa Parks African American Themed House; bring back the building’s lounge; paint its exterior the ‘Pan-Afrikan colors’ of red, green and black; and force all new incoming students to go through a mandatory diversity competency training.”
But the black student group issued three other demands and has given the administration until the Fall Quarter 2017 to comply or there will be more “reclamations” — their word for the takeover of buildings.
The alliance’s three additional demands are that the university purchase a property “to serve as a low income housing cooperative for historically disadvantaged students,” that the university “allocate $100,000” for Santa Cruz’s “SOMeCA” student organization support department, and that the university create either a Black Studies department or a Black Studies Minor or Major.
The group promised that, if their demands are not met, UC Santa Cruz will “force [them] to have to take what [they] know to be in [their] best interest to Reclaim.”
The alliance’s list of demands concludes with a quote from Assata Shakur, a former member of the Black Panther Party and a convicted murderer: “It is our duty to fight for our freedom; It is our duty to win; We must love each other and support each other; We have nothing to lose but our chains.”
Assata Shakur was convicted of killing a policeman, escaped from prison, and is now living comfortably in Cuba. To quote her on a “fight for freedom” is like quoting Hitler on the “Final Solution of the Jewish Question.”
A spokesman for UC Santa Cruz did not respond to a question from The College Fix on whether there will be any disciplinary action against the students who forcibly took over Kerr Hall. He only told The Fix that “safety” is the school’s top priority.
As for the student demonstrators, they reject the term “occupation” to describe their “reclamation” actions, claiming: “We are pushing back against the language of ‘occupation’ in recognition of the largely white-centric and fairly recent ‘Occupy Movement.’ We are pushing back against the language of ‘occupation’ in recognition of the very real settler occupations that are hxstorical [sic] and ongoing, such as the European colonization and occupation of ‘The Americas,’ as well as the current context of occupation in Palestine.”
Yes, but their hearts are in the right place.
Why should the black student group stop there? Why not demand all people of color get straight “A’s”? Why not extort more money from the school in the form of “vouchers” to be given to all black and “historically oppressed” students?
These kids have no imagination. In my day, student demonstrators demanded an end to the teaching of western civilization and dropping the math and science requirements for graduation. Dictating the colors for a paint job on an old building doesn’t have the same pizzazz as demanding the right to say “f**k you” to a teacher.
But you have to admit they’re getting better at it. Forcing the school to spend $100K on a student organization is a pretty good indication of where this is headed.
At least, as long as the administration doesn’t have the gonads to stand up to the bullies.
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