Saw the news report yesterday about the student attack on military recruiters at UC Santa Cruz, which resulted in the shut down of the job fair. Am embarrassed to be an alumnus banana slug (the UCSC mascot) today.
The school has long prided itself on its pinnacle-of-liberalism status, and has even managed to hold its own over the years against UC Berkeley to the north. When I was an undergraduate, for example, the E.L.F. folks (who, judging by a quick peek at their website, have clearly toned down their rhetoric substantially since the 90's) were becoming active on campus. Back then, the neo-hippies liked to parade naked past the Bay Tree Bookstore in a protest against clothes, or bathing (or something), and the day Bush 41 was elected, a fellow student walked across the quad of Porter College with a boombox balanced on his shoulder, from which blasted R.E.M's classic "It's the End of the World as We Know it (And I Feel Fine)." Which is great. I mean, this country was founded on protest and dissent, right?
But slashing the tires of military recruiters who have set up their space at a job fair alongside all the other legitimate and law-abiding entities? Chanting, "Racist, sexist, anti-gay. Hey, recruiters, go away"?
That just causes a massive increase of the awe I feel toward the guys and gals who step up and risk their lives so butthats like those UCSC students can have a voice to spew their idiocy.
I know, I know. Come on, Nicole, tell us how you really feel.
;-)
