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TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT?  
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Jack Radey
April 17, 2024
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_ After reading of actions at UC Berkeley to prevent a speaker from
addressing a meeting, and disrupting a dean’s backyard party, as a
veteran of the Free Speech Movement, the first thing that comes to my
mind is "What was the goal of the protest?" _

University of California Berkeley, Free Speech Movement rally, Dec,
4, 1964. Photo by Howard Harawitz, Free Speech Movement
Archives,FSM-A,Howard Harawitz,FSM Archives,UCB,UC,University of
California. , Copyright: Howard Harawitz, 2014; for permissions, email
[email protected]

 

After reading of actions at UC Berkeley to prevent a speaker from
addressing a meeting, and disrupting a dean’s backyard party, as a
veteran of the Free Speech Movement, the first thing that comes to my
mind is "What was the goal of the protest?"  "What were the actions
meant to accomplish?"

Demonstrations can be organized to accomplish different goals.  A
group can call attention to an issue by making it visible.  A
demonstration can be held to show widespread support for an issue, and
by doing so putting pressure on decision makers.  A demonstration can
be a platform to persuade those not committed, and to encourage those
who are.

A demonstration can also seek to force a change in policy through
disruption.  This can range from a brief pray-in to an organized
walk-out or silent standing protest during an event.  It can also
peacefully but forcefully prevent the machinery from functioning by
putting our bodies on the wheels and gears.

These and many other tactics (public fasts, occupations, mobile
traffic blockages, sound disruption) are generally based on the
assumption that your ultimate goal can best be reached by persuading
the largest number possible that your cause is right, and to support
it.  A strike is a prime example.  It is a peaceful, but forceful
disruption.  It requires mass participation and active support.

But this approach is based on the notion that the mass can be
persuaded, and it is its persuasion that is your guiding principle -
don't do stupid stuff that will make it harder to achieve your goal. 
Like breaking windows, using language certain to alienate some people
you want to reach, etc.

But there is another approach, which I think of as the politics of
frustration, where you conclude that the seriousness and urgency of
your cause means anyone not already persuaded is irredeemably stupid,
evil, or otherwise unreachable and THERE'S A CRISIS RIGHT NOW WE DON'T
HAVE TIME TO ARGUE!!!!  You conclude you must force acceptance of
your idea, and do so by the forcefulness of your rhetoric and
action.  Instead of refuting your opponent's arguments and logic, you
attempt to prevent those arguments from being heard. 

We've seen this too, an armed invader in the Chancellor's house, an
attempt to burn that house with the Chancellor and family inside. 
Disruption of speakers, attempts to prevent speakers from presenting
by breaking windows, lighting fires, etc.  The ultimate expression
was the Weather Underground.  While the peace moment made a
widespread and very successful effort to reach active duty GIs, the
Weather Underground planned a nail bomb for an NCO Club dance at Fort
Dix. 

The urgency of the situation in Gaza is impossible to overstate, and
the motivation of the students is beyond reproach, and very
understandable.  Six months of genocide in which the US government is
fully responsible, apparently impervious to public opinion, is very
frustrating and enraging.  If the atmosphere at Cal is like it was 10
years ago, most students/faculty/staff are fully aware (see it in
their media) and are either unconcerned, back Israel, or simply have
no interests beyond their studies and their social media.  I may be
wrong here.  During the Third World Strike, the assessment of its
leadership was that unlike the FSM or the Vietnam war, the majority on
campus could NOT be persuaded to support their cause, and sought to
win by use of force (also banking on police overreaction to that, a
well-founded estimate), disruption not meant to persuade but to
impose.  To a large extent it worked, because the administration and
police acted as expected, with indiscriminate violence, but I fear
taught subsequent movements some bad lessons.

Clearly the demonstration at the Dean's house was not meant to
persuade students or faculty of the righteousness of the Palestinian
cause.  Its aim was to be disruptive.  Had it taken place at, for
example, a Commencement Day or other major school event, it could be
appropriate, to point to UC involvement in weapons programs or AI
collaboration with Israel, if such exists, or to point to UC
investments in Israel.  That would be appropriate.  But at the
backyard party for grads?  No one would be persuaded by this.  Some
would be offended.  And neither the law school dean nor his grads
have any control over UC's investment policies.  Wrong target,
counterproductive tactic.  Similarly plastering campus with a
blatantly anti-Semitic poster accusing the dean, who has consistently
spoken out for the rights of campus anti-Zionists, and should be seen
as an ally, is a self-destructive tactic.  Will it persuade anyone? 
Will it do anything but suggest that opposition to Israeli crimes in
fact IS based on anti-Semitism?  Why do it?

When the Graduate Coordinating Committee (GCC) and Free Speech
Movement (FSM) organized a strike that shut down the campus the
morning we were being arrested in Sproul Hall, under Wheeler Oak signs
were being made for the picket lines.  One student made one that
said, “Adolf Hitler, 1933, Clark Kerr, 1964.”  My grandmother, a
refugee from Hitler, went up to Steve Weissman of the GCC and said,
“That is wrong, tell him to take that down.”  Steve looked at the
sign, said, “You’re right,” and told the man to take down the
sign.  Truth is our strength.  Use it.

Again, for god's sake people, LEARN TO FIGHT SMART!!

* Protest
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* Palestine solidarity
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* Israel
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* Gaza
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* Palestine
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* Israel-Gaza War
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* Hostages
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* Hamas
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* Free Speech
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* Free Speech Movement
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* FSM
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* Berkeley
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* University of California at Berkeley
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* Strategy
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* Tactics
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* zionism
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* Anti-Zionism
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