The University of California has a long history as the foremost contractor of the US military. As such, it has ample funding and a veil of secrecy. This week, students and faculty left the buildings of the UC Santa Cruz Campus to establish a Tent University. The UC Regents revealed their priorities, which include surveillance, harrassment, and violent oppression of of any who oppose their policies.
The undercover "videocop" at left is an example of how the University of California chooses to spend it's money.
This was not even a demonstration in the usual sense. Simply by gathering in tents, 500 Santa Cruz students were able to attract 20 police cars and riot glad robo-cops ready to put down the slightest challenge to an institution that has now proven that it values oppression more than it values education. Violent tactics were employed, and althought they were promptly denied by Vice Chancellor Elizabeth Irwin, there were simply too many eye-witnesss with recording equipment to avoid the truth from escaping.
This is a copy of the email that has already been sent to Liz Irwin (emirwin@ucsc.edu)
Hi Elizabeth,
My name is Max Glick and I am an undergraduate student at UCSC. I am writing to inform you that your name will be included with press releases and flyers that will be posted throughout campus and the community tomorrow, Wednesday April 20. You were quoted giving the following statement to the KSBW news crew:
"'No, no, there were no batons, there were no Tasers. Someone said there was a Taser (gun) used. No, there was no force of that sort,' UC Santa Cruz spokeswoman Elizabeth Irwin said."
I was personally batoned by a cop in my stomach as were several other students. We have pictures of bruises to prove it. Also, we were not locked down in the tent. We were peaceful bystanders who happened to be standing in the path of riot police. They did not ask us to move, they simply started attacking students with batons. We have documented these attacks with several photos and videos and everything will be online within the next 24 hours
Individuals who I personally know have had their personal property stolen or damaged by individuals who DO NOT BELONG IN AN ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT as part of a police action designed to silence those who actually are the real assets of the university. One of their tactics was to kick and punch the cameras of journalists who sought to document their actions. Like Donald Rumsfeld, they are aware that they are fighting an information war. They were seeking a "controlled situation" in which they would be able to completely silence theor opponents. It would be difficult to interpet their actions, profusely documented at Santa Cruz Independent Media Center in any other context.
What would Alfred North Whitehead think of this? Is this an institution that is actually run by creative intellectuals?
No, it is not. It is run by self-serving investors who are sitting on a 5 billion dollar war chest that they would rather use to manipulate the local real estate market than to provide the affordable education and living-wage jobs for which it was appropriated.
Misappropriation of funds is a crime for which the Regents of the University of California will be made to pay. The Tent University is a real threat to them, because it will demonstrate what the real assets of the University really are. To quote Crosby, Stills and Nash from their song "Wooden Ships":
We don't need you.
We are leaving
These are the same musicians who recorded "Four Dead in Ohio" in an era the founders of UCSC clearly remember. Let's hope common sense takes hold before things get to that point.
David Roknich,
Editor
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