By Antonio D. French
Filed Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 3:31 PM
As dozens, if not hundreds, of St. Louisans head down to Jena, Louisiana today to support the Jena 6, and anti-war protestors settle into the third day of their week-long 24-hour protest outside the St. Louis office of U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, PubDef.net reporter Gabe Bullard asks the following question:
Why are today's college students so much less likely to engage in protest than their parents' generation?
Labels: War
22 Comments:
Because college students have XBox.
9/19/2007 3:34 PM
No. It's because they are mostly a bunch of selfish, materialistic, lightweights.
The hippies were communal-minded, spirit driven, love-filled, drug-crazed dreamers.
Where are the dreamers among today's young people? Most want an SUV like mommy, a big house in the suburbs, a high paying job, and a house cleaner.
9/19/2007 4:33 PM
No draft
9/19/2007 4:48 PM
Maybe they don't oppose the war. That is a possibility.
9/19/2007 5:04 PM
What's amazing is that there is a lot of talk about the Jena 6. It seems that the act of protesting has changed with the generation, though.
I agree that some of our generation is selfish and materialistic, but to say that they don't have the same qualities of the previous generations does a great disservice to this generation. I work with college students at SLU, and I have seen plenty of outcry against the treatment of the Jena 6.
The age of the internet has created a whole new way to protest. This story from the Chicago Tribune, for example, shows that there is indeed a nation-wide force behind this protest. We just don't see the organization like we did in years past.
On the internet I have seen an uprising of blog posts, and activity on social networking sites, such as Facebook, which have been teeming with people trying to raise awareness.
I don't think it's a matter of the students not wanting to protest. Rather, it's a matter of students not knowing how to protest. They organize "wear green on Thursday in support of the Jena 6" events, but don't really know how to get their voice out there and heard. If you don't know that there is such an event, you may never notice that more people than usual are wearing green that day. What our students need, more than anything, is not a heightened sense of awareness of world events, but a stronger sense of how to address those issues and make an impact through actions.
I would be willing to bet that there are thousands upon thousands more emails going to our legislators and other public officials as a result of the publicity of the Jena 6. We can't discount our college students simply because they aren't showing up on the doorstep. There are other ways to protest.
The same goes for the war. Replace the words "Jena 6" with "the war" and the same applies. They're protesting, just in a different way.
9/19/2007 5:29 PM
Because these same parents wrongfully thought that the battle of racism and equality had for the most part been won during the Civil Rights Era.
Too many of these African American parents sincerely thought the battle was over and had been won, and are just now coming to the realization that things have not changed all that much, just the methods were changed, and now even the old methods of racism pre-civil rights era is showing its ugly face again overtly, as in the Jenna situation.
This type of racist behavior is being practiced overtly where conflicts occur involving conflicts between African Americans and Whites as parties to a situation. Soon a lot of information concerning some of these racial injustices taking place right here in the St. Louis area will be coming to light. These type matters must be exposed.
Another reason that African Americans refuse to face the realities of racism and discrimination is because it is very painful to face for so many when they experience it or hear about it.
They feel powerless because you cannot find any attorney, newspaper or anyone to help in the area of racism. The word Racism in St. Louis everyone has been trained is a dirty word and behavior that must be ignored.
Racist and yes men and woman have been placed in charge as heads of every agency charged with fighting racism, any one employed with any of these agencies would lose their job if they really did the job of exposing racism and discrimination.
Just try to find listings for civil rights attorneys, they really don't exist here in St. Louis anymore because we have an extremely racist court system in all of Missouri, you are hard pressed to find an attorney who will buck any racist system in this state, hell, the MoBar would harass that attorney, and the next thing you know that attorney would be disbarred for bucking Missouri racist understanding.
Then others are in denial, they have choosen to believe the lies that Whites who are under serious demonic influences have been shoving into everyone's heads that all things are equal and that everyone have the same opportunities.
It's a lie and deception, and even though obvious, so many people including African Americans believe the lie that is being perpetrated that all things are equal, just and fair and, that no one is experiencing injustices and discrimination because of their race.
The more these injustices and discriminations become overt as they have been of late, more people will come together on behalf of one another in large groups to support the victims of racism and discrimination. The victims of racism and discrimination absolutely need this support.
Lots of bodies are needed to become activist recruiting college students and others to get involved and track racism in this State.
And lets not ignore that also, many African Americans cope with racism through denial, suffering from some form of pschological infliction, causing them to be in denial about the exsistence of racism with it being more comfortable for them to believe the lie that Afriacn Americans have it good and that all things are equal and that we all have the same equal opportunities.
We had these types also during the civil rights era. They are very fearful ones.
But the most important thing to remember is that racism is spiritual, it is a demonic spirit and we need all those saints (God's righteous one)involved in this ugly that have overtly resurfaced. Remember God listen to the prays of the righteous and they are certainly needed when fighting against demons.
It is time for a GREAT civil rights movement in St. Louis. What do PUB DEF readers think?
African Americans need somewhere outside these stacked government agencies to report discrimination and racism in the St. Louis with civil right activists not controlled and funded by Whites with the wrong motives.
Any ideals. Lets change how discrimination and racism is handled in Missouri.
9/19/2007 5:32 PM
Isn't it ironic that the U.S. is falling apart at the seams due to racism and have ignored the problems of injustice in our own country but have the nerves to even suggest that they invaded Iraq to bring democracy because the citizens were being treated so unfairly.
The U.S. is becoming harder and harder to stomach because of its own evils.
What troubles me as much as anything is the fact that we are not hearing much from lay White people, Jenna is a situation that all no matter what race should stand up against and speak out about.
Thank God for those White law firms in some other cases that have come to the worlds attention in other parts of the country that have been willing to stand up against injustice and racism for those other victims.
9/19/2007 5:57 PM
I find all these disparaging remarks well just that, disparaging. I also feel like it's not accurate to compare students protesting Vietnam to the Jena 6 situation. There are a fair number of SLU and WUSTL students who are part of the Instead of War coalition but not every student has the luxury to miss classes at a moment's notice. Hundreds of SLU students since I was an undergrad have participated in the annual sit-in at the School of the America's (now called the Western Institute for Security) at Ft. Benning, GA. SLU students stand in solidarity on Sunday nights on the stairs of Saint Francis Xavier (College) Church to silently protest the war in Iraq. Wash U students are equally participatory.
And as icing on the cake, my alma mater Nerinx Hall is sending 40 girls to the SOA protest along with 30 SLUH boys as well as girls from Cor Jesu, Ursuline, St. Joe, Rosati and boys from CBC and DeSmet. These high school kids give up football games, Cor Jesu's homecoming, wrestling and basketball practices and for what? For social justice.
Please don't lump all college students together. I know my friends at SLU, WashU, Xavier, Catholic, Fordham, BC, Providence, Truman, UMKC, NYU, etc etc etc have all held on-campus and off-campus sit-ins, protests, and let's not forget the hunger strike at WUSTL just a few years ago to protest the disparity of pay for employees.
IMHO, today's college students come up with other ways as well as sit-ins to protest war, inequality, and social injustice. They have carried signs and spoke out against the loss of the health safety net. My theology faculty lay down next to staff and students in front of the gates to an airstrip wherein lay a nuclear bomber. Students from STLCOP, SLU, and WashU are involved in Smoke-Free Saint Louis to make their campuses smoke free.
Just because these same students aren't going to Louisiana or Sen. McCaskill's office doesn't mean they aren't protesting something equally important.
9/19/2007 10:43 PM
It seems to me that a "virtual protest" means NOTHING when compared to thousands of people in the street.
Same thing happened with the school situation. People were too lazy to get off their asses and relied on e-mails, etc to protest the takeover (sorry to bring it up, I'm not trying to hijack the thread but it is a perfect example). It didn't work.
Virtual protests just won't do it. No one feels threatened by an e-mail or a "virtual mob". It is too easy to hit the "delete" button.
Maybe I am old fashioned but does anyone believe that a few hundred thousand e-mails would have had the same effect as several thousand warm human bodies marching on Washington D.C.?
9/19/2007 11:20 PM
One of my interviews for this piece brought up an interesting point off-camera. The value of a bachelor's degree has gone down. While a college education is still valuable, the job market has changed in so many ways that it's hard for a lot of recent graduates to get jobs. Also, education costs have risen and more students have loans and debt to pay off. I think the average is over $20,000 now.
9/20/2007 12:08 AM
Where is Bobby Kennedy-Eugene McCarthy-Martin Luther King--------------where are the charismatic leaders who could inspire people to actually do things? Is there anyone who could be taken as seriously as Malcolm X?
I miss the Catholic priests and bishops who cared about issues other than charging scientists with murdering fetuses, and covering up sexual abuse.
Do we have writers comparable to Gore Vidal and Norman Mailer? The society is fractured, the media is diffused----vitually anything serious can be turned into a comedy routine.
These are different times, indeed.
9/20/2007 1:48 AM
Where is Bobby Kennedy-Eugene McCarthy-Martin Luther King--------------where are the charismatic leaders who could inspire people to actually do things? Is there anyone who could be taken as seriously as Malcolm X?
Answer: His name is Mychal Bell. What is being left out is the students at this highschool did a silent protest on the campus by assembling under the tree. The same thing that happened to other leaders happened to him. He's still incarcerated despite the fact that the LA Supreme Court overturned the conviction on the grounds that the DA tried him as an adult after reducing the attempted murder charge to a charge that didn't meet the legal criteria for certifying juveniles to stand trial as an adult.
As for the way young people protest, don't discount the internet. Young hip hoppers have started putting the word out to boycott "50" and "Kanye" if they don't take a stand because their new albums were scheduled for release this week.
There are those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened.
Now if you're using your talents to speculate and critic protest, which one are you?
I am 42 years old and I used the internet, word of mouth, network marketing, and charity to make a difference in this issue. We've got to bridge the generational gap instead of emphasizing differences and widening it.
One thing I have not read in any of the comments is the issue of human rights and children's rights. This is something that shouldn't happen to any child of any race! If you care about children, and you feel they should have justice, THIS IS YOUR CAUSE!
Peace be unto you all.
FREE THE JENA 6!
9/20/2007 8:47 AM
Jim,
I believe "virtual protests" do have their place. This last year, I felt that my beloved SLPS district was being attacked on various "fronts" ...In the legislature with some questionable bill proposals, by DESE, by the State Board, in the Post Dispatch...etc, etc, etc. A group of parents/protesters cannot be everywhere. Many SLPS supporters did the 'bus to the Capitol' thing, but in the early hours of the morning, we also did lots and lots of e-mails to legislators, Board members, DESE employees, etc. Did we win the battle? Not the big one, and not this time...But now we are protesting via another, more formal venue...in the Courts.. beginning on Monday.
Today, I am of the opinion, that "our presence, participation,and protest", both virtual and physical, can be effective and are necessary..and that both definitely have their place! E
An Aside....I was in D.C. this summer, and everything is a lot further apart than it looks out of the CNN window (mix that with all the tourists?!?!?!)...So even several thousand protesters could be easily lost in the Mall...Now a visit to a Congressional Office, that might make an impact!
Also, as 'po' mentioned...a 'virtual' protest allows those that might not be able to make it to a rally downtown to become engaged!
9/20/2007 9:06 AM
The person who said email and virtual protests don't cut it hit the nail on the head. The earlier comment about how young people "don't know how" to protest is a copout.
If this generation is anything, they are self-assured in their entitlement mentality and overall cockiness.
Call it lazy.
9/20/2007 9:09 AM
One more time I'm taking the bait.
It is absolutely callous of any older adult to say that my generation and my siblings' generation is lazy. Perhaps I'm blinded by the fact that my experience and my friends' experiences have caused change to happen--significantly more than any other "adult" or "baby boomer" has changed for issues that matter.
It was college students who first started walking with their Jesuit scholastic counterparts to protest more stringent immigration rules in El Paso. Other good Jebbies have stood shoulder to shoulder with their students to make a beautiful demonstration of tombstones representing all who have died in Iraq. The Lorettos stand vigil every night with young Hallmarkers at the prisons here and at other Loretto schools nationwide.
My brother recently pointed out a website that 40 years ago did polling on college students about such issues as Vietnam, abortion rights, Vatican II, etc etc. Then this group came back and polled these folks on Iraq, abortion rights, church vs. state etc etc and it was astonishing how many of these adults had become so close-minded that they tried to forget what they had done in a previous life. (Wish I had the URL now...)
Anyways, maybe I'm just elucidating on my limited experience and it falls on deaf ears but those folks who fling mud at our college students in this venue ought to take a couple minutes to come down off their high-horses to call their local high school and college to see what that institution is doing to change their world and then get doing!
AMDG
9/20/2007 9:41 AM
I think many of the comments are disingenuous. I don't think that xbox or priviledge, or any of these more simplistic cultural judgments against young people are the reason that they are less politically active. Nor do I think that the draft is the reason students aren't protesting.
Every student has the capacity to be selfish and materialistic, and every student has the capacity to take on the world, and create concrete, positive, social change. The problem is that they are not properly equipped to do the latter.
I agree with Erik and Gabe's analysis that some students are taking political action in more creative, technology-driven, less radical ways. And that is great, because is the beginning of the future of activism, especially youth activism. However, it is protest-lite. (And that's not to say that protest is the be-all, end-all of political action, far from it).
Students today add a group on facebook to "Stop Global Warming" and fell satisfied with themselves. While adding a facebook group is good, it doesn't accomplish much; it arguably doesn't even raise that much consciousness. Just like the 60s predecessor, protesting, this type of activism is largely nominal, inward looking, and not directed at a target who has any actual power. Nobody gives a shit who joins what group on facebook, despite the enthusiasm of that groups creators, unless you actually take those names (members) and do something with them.
The same stands true for protests that simply demand an end to the War. Obviously we shouldn't be in Iraq, and the democrats aren't standing up for their constituents, but the efficacy of protest in this case is questionable. It raises the profile of the issue (which has been top on decision-makers minds for at least 5 years) and expresses discontent, but it leaves a huge out for those people in power to be able to say: fuckin' hippie protesters.
That brings me to my overall point: Students/young people don't protest, or don't take any political action, for that matter, because they see it as useless.
In the 60s, the civil rights movement had ended Jim Crow in the South and Free Speech Movements had won students' rights. Of course students thought they could be successful in stopping the Vietnam War. They had precedent. Now, protesters are marginalized, as agitators, vandals, and even the cause of the problem. Most young people don;t protest because they think it doesn't work, and they see the people who do it as self-indulgent. As a former student protester, I obviously disagree with this logic. But, I know that it is much harder to change everyday students' view of protest and political action, than it is for the left to change its tactics.
If we organized things like massive petition drives, using all the possible student/protest energy toward a quantifiable end, McCaskill would be a lot more receptive than she is to those protesters. Despite the fact that our electoral system is broke and infested with corporate cash, we still need to VOTE. The largest protest we can hold will happen on Nov, 5, 2008. Young people don't just dismiss protesting, they dismiss ALL political action. they don't think their voice matters, because no one has ever proven that it does.
I respect people that are willing to sacrifice their time and possible freedom in protest of something they care about. And I agree that these are reactionary times, calling for radical action. But that is exactly why I think we need effective, measurable, radical action, through the ballot-box and through petition to prove to young people that if they truly want to see change, then they have to participate in their own government.
Great Discussion! And great reporting!
j
9/20/2007 11:53 AM
The two word answer of 'no draft' is the best answer here.
For all the bold war talk, conservatives shudder at the thought of a draft.
For all the bold anti-war talk, not many liberal middle-class parents (and students) are truly impacted by Iraq.
If there was a draft, the anti-war movement would be much stronger because it would be fueled by young people of various economic, social and political backgrounds.
9/20/2007 11:59 AM
maire,
Can't help but like and admire you. All the things that you have mentioned that you have taken stands for as a student are very important and legitimate issues.
I also feel that there are different calls for different people concerning activist type stands that they are called for.
My question to you is, why do you think, in your opinion, that it is so hard for White individuals in the U.S. who proclaim to be Christ followers, (the church, specifically churches with high percentages of White members) be so unconcerned in their actions concerning injustices to minorities (specifically African Americans) when clearly race is the reason?
Also in Africa (Sudan), African Christians are being slaudered like animals and Israel have allow many of these refugees into their country, and has been calling on churches in America to help by adopting some of these families, setting them up in the U.S.
Why do you think that so few of the churches in the U.S. are willing to save African Christians from being slaudered like animals because of their Christian faith?
I ask this of you because you appear from your postings to be faithful Catholic.
Same thing during the injustices that brought about the Civil Rights movement. Where was the White church? Where are they whenever injustices are occuring against African Americans or people of color when these injustices are occuring because of their race or being a Christian?
It's a mortal sin any one who call themselves a Christian to be able to turn a head to such injustices.
http://www.icej.org/articles/sudanese_aid
9/20/2007 12:33 PM
I wholeheartedly agree that the Catholic "big C" Church (yes I'm a faithful Catholic--even managed to get a MA in systematic theology) has been inadequate in addressing what is going on in Darfur for instance. However, because we as a people believe that we are a people in "communio" we are challenged to do more.
Sorry gonna get a little heady here.
Preconciliar ecclesiology followed a “top-down” approach according to Klaus Kienzler where priority was given to the universal Church over the local church, the ordained office holder over the congregation, etc. We see that manifest as leaders of world denominations failing to address the genocide in Darfur in recent months. Post-conciliar (after Vatican II) ecclesiology reflects a much more relational approach to being church wherein the church is the people en missio or on a mission. Walter Kasper believes that this is expressed in bishops giving latitude to individual churches to explore that which it means to be Catholic, in our case, allowing particular (local) pastors to educate their flock and encourage them to fight against the genocide in Darfur. Alternatively, Joseph Ratzinger, now our Pope, believed that particular churches were a mere component of the Universal Church thereby necessitating that particular churches "tow the party line" as it were. However, yes, there's more, Joseph Komonchak writes that the “universal church is not something distinct from the individual churches but exits only in them and out of them.” Therefore, the individual, particular church is a sign or symbol of the universal church. So we come to the conclusion that Komonchak basically makes a venn diagram out of the Kasper and Ratzinger positions to create a common thread. Therefore, as the whole people of God come together in one space for worship, “local eucharists in parishes represent the visible Church as established through the world.”
So simplistically, every time we come together and break the bread (celebrate Eucharist) we engage in witness to the Gospel. Right so kind of lame initially but let's keep going. If as a Christian I do no more than celebrate Eucharist (and have cognition that more is required of me) I have by volition not honored natural law. St. Thomas Aquinas believes that natural law obligates one to do right (conscience) as asserted again by Pope John Paul II in Veritas Splendor. For John Paul II conscience is not a “decision on how to act in particular cases.” It is rather the “proximate norm of personal morality.”
However, We need to both “do good” AND “avoid evil.” Bernard Häring writes that, “One must do as one see right [conscience/3--Timothy O'Connell] with desires and effort to do what is right [conscience/2].” The ultimate moral challenge is to what is objectively right. Gaudium et Spes reminds us that “Conscience exists as a sanctuary of the human person where people are alone with God whose voice echoes in the depths of their hearts summoning them to love good and avoid evil.”
IMHO, if a person cannot answer in good conscience that they have done what has been asked of them, whether through word, prayer, action, etc. then they have turned away God. This does not mean a person is obligated to parachute into a war zone with food packages strapped to them or even be the Pharisee openly demonstrating their intense prayer. Rather, it means, as anonymous 1233P wrote, they have turned their head away from injustice.
As a closing note, I'd invite folks to check out the PBS special called "The Sisters of Selma." Those were religious sisters from all over, including the local St. Joe Carondalet sisters protesting in Selma. Plenty of "white churches" have spoken out but sometimes it mattered not the color of skin to protest injustice but where the Gospel most needed to be fulfilled.
9/20/2007 2:12 PM
Wow Maire,
You have said alot, but at the same time not much at all concerning the post addressed to you.
The question is why haven't the church in the good conscience they all claim to recognize themselves as having, not been more active in acting with a good conscience concerning humanity, and other social issues?
The church is required to be the leader in these type issues, why do you think the church and individual Christians are failing so miserably concerning this?
9/20/2007 3:12 PM
anonymous 312P,
In short, I don't know. I guess I didn't really answer the question because in part I like to think leaders already know all that. Aside from qualitative evidence, I have no idea why religious leaders have "failed." Sometimes I wonder if it's because things seem so hopeless that inaction seems "easier" than action.
Hey I'm not the girl with all the religious answers ;)
9/20/2007 4:54 PM
Agreed that internet protests have a valuable place, especially as a communication or organizing tool (which I think one or more previous posters already pointed out).
But, sorry, I think you are fooling yourself if you think an e-mail drive is more effective as an equal (or even fewer) number of people who show up in person to make a statement.
The degree of effort it takes to make a statement has to have a direct correlation to the effectiveness of the statement.
I have no idea if that makes sense so let me try again...I will pay more attention to a person who takes the time and effort to show up in person than I will pay to someone who sends an e-mail.
But I never said e-mail or other types of protests aren't also valuable.
As far as the school takeover...keep convincing yourself, local 420, that you did the right thing.
9/20/2007 7:49 PM
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