“It is our duty to fight for our freedom! It is our duty to win! We must love and protect each other! We have nothing to lose but our chains!” the protesters shouted in unison.
Although the demonstration attracted a number of viewers, it did not elicit much response from the Berkeley College Republicans or their supporters.
“I hope it’s comfortable for them,” said Ward Connerly, a former UC Regent and main proponent of Proposition 209, who sat at the Republican bake sale table, in response to the demonstration.
The demonstrators will hold a press conference at 3 p.m. in 242 Cesar Chavez Student Center.
At around 1:30 p.m. Yvette Felarca, the national organizer for BAMN, invited the campus Republicans to debate affirmative action. She said BAMN would argue the “criminality” of the Republicans group’s ideology.
Andy Nevis, the executive director of the campus Republicans’ group, said he did not know about the debate beforehand, but he would be open to it.
Students dressed in black were lying down on Upper Sproul Plaza to oppose the Increase Diversity Bake Sale.
Shawn Lewis, president of the campus Republicans’ group, said he is excited about the possibility for debate. But he also added a note of caution.
“I don’t want debate that will foster divisions between racial groups,” he said.
At around 2:30 p.m. the campus Republicans disassembled their bake sale table and left Sproul Plaza.
Correction(s):
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the demonstrators chanted “We have nothing to lose but our shame.” In fact, the demonstrators chanted “We have nothing to lose but our chains.”
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The biggest obstacle to “students of color” on the Cal campus isn’t “institutionalized racism” or the BCR. The biggest obstacle to success is that these students are thin-skinned crybabies who get hysterical over the slightest criticism or ridicule. They demand that the University shelter them from anything that makes them uncomfortable or pleasant. People who never learn to stand on their own two feet and fend for themselves won’t make it in the real world…
http://www.mindingthecampus.com/originals/2011/07/less_academics_more_narcissism.html
“What a boon for a taxpayer-funded bureaucrat, to be able to define his
own portfolio and determine how many staff lines he will control! UC Berkeley’s own vice chancellor for equity and inclusion shows how voracious a diversity apparatchik’s appetite for power can be. Gibor Basri has
17 people working for him in his immediate office, including a “chief
of staff,” two “project/policy analysts,” and a “director of special projects.” The funding propping up Basri’s vast office could support many an English or history professor. According to state databases, Basri’s base pay in 2009 was $194,000, which does not include a variety of possible add-ons, including summer salary and administrative stipends. By comparison, the official salary for assistant professors at UC starts at around $53,000. Add to Basri’s salary those of his minions, and you’re looking at more than $1 million a year.”
we have used some of your photos to introduce this demonstration.
http://berkeleyopinion.com/192
The Berkeley College Republicans just held a big mirror up to these activists. They saw their own reflection and cried “RACISTS!!!!”
The bake sale was a direct reflection of the proposed law that these activists are advocating: to allow a persons race to be considered as a factor when deciding whether to admit them to the university or not.
Way back in the day, a persons race WAS used as a factor in deciding whether or not they got into college… it was called DISCRIMINATION. Now these activists want to bring this grand old tradition back but reversed, so that it discriminates against whites in support of minorities. Yet no matter how it’s directed the process is still one of DISCRIMINATION and RACISM.
The College Republicans illustrated this with the bake sale that charged differently based on race. This was in effect NO different than the race-based admission law being proposed, but now everyone freaks out over it and we have these ridiculous, over-dramatic protests. These people did not recognize their own reflection in this bake sale and instead went out and effectively PROTESTED AGAINST THEMSELVES!
I personally feel that the Republican party as it exists today is truly evil, but this bake sale was a stroke of genius, made it’s point very effectively (for those with the intelligence to see it), and for that i can only congratulate them.
[These people did not recognize their own reflection in this bake sale
and instead went out and effectively PROTESTED AGAINST THEMSELVES!]
That’s because in all honesty these children aren’t very bright – in fact, most of them aren’t really college material to begin with. Affirmative Action and “diversity” have NOTHING to do with bringing in more qualified minority candidates. Instead, they have EVERYTHING to do with providing a steady stream of second-tier students to keep up the enrollment in all the basket-weaving, pop-culture, racial/ethnic/gender grievance studies programs – the ones that any halfway intelligent student avoids like the plague because he or she knows that they are for all intents and purposes USELESS degree programs that provide no value in the real world…
To the two girls who were wearing “Indian” headdresses (I just saw you on KRON)…you may not realize it, but what you did was really offensive and inappropriate. I know you’re against the bake sale and want to show it’s ridiculous, but wearing a parody of a culture’s sacred object – and not an authentically made one, but rather what looks like a quick crafts project – is not clever. It’s cultural appropriation, and it plays right into every stereotype about Native Americans. I suspect you’re not Native American, because women don’t wear war bonnets. Only men with power do. By wearing what you did, you’re showing disrespect for the traditions of the people you claim you’re defending. This explains it: http://nativeappropriations.blogspot.com/2010/04/but-why-cant-i-wear-hipster-headdress.html
I know it’s fashionable to wear clothes and accessories that are Native American-inspired, but the people marking those trends aren’t Native Americans either and they don’t know the spiritual significance of the items they’re imitating. I doubt you meant any offense, but a white girl wearing a war bonnet is like a white person taping their eyes to look more “Asian” – it’s disrespectful, whether you intended it or not. Don’t be that silly white person. Talk to an actual Native American about their culture, or about things you can do to learn more. Thanks.
They probably just wanted a free pastry.
Indeed. And they don’t mind being hideously racist and making a mockery of Native American culture to do so.
They might as well have showed up in blackface.
I agree Calipenguin. People in black usually scare me. Almost everything scares me. I’m a white American and I’m afraid. I hope this protest stuff doesn’t get to the fine young black bucks on our glorious football team. We don’t want to affect the affirmative action of our football and basketball teams. Oh no. I’m afraid if they try to add more white men to those team. I’m just afraid. Blonde, blue eyed and afraid. Always scared!
haha I get it, and thank you:) “our glorious football team” it’s true.
not surprisingly, Salih Muhammad is a proud member of the Nation of Islam, a black supremacist, anti-Semitic, anti-gay, and otherwise insane organization. His facebook is littered with Louis Farrakhan paraphernalia–the same Louis Farrakhan who said:
“Hitler was a very great man.”
“”These false Jews promote the filth of Hollywood that is seeding the
American people and the people of the world and bringing you down in
moral strength. … It’s the wicked Jews, the false Jews, that are
promoting lesbianism, homosexuality. It’s the wicked Jews, false Jews,
that make it a crime for you to preach the word of God, then they call
you homophobic!”
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/groups/nation-of-islam (the ultra-left Southern Poverty Law Center even condemns the Nation of Islam as racist).
It’s clear who the racists in this thing are, and it’s not BCR. It’s Salih Muhammad and all those who, knowing what I just wrote, do not immediately disassociate themselves with him.
I was really upset with the protesters. They disrespected my right to walk across campus. Their menacing black clothes reminded me of the violent Black Panthers. Because they did not engage in meaningful dialogue or consider how I would feel, I think the ASUC Senate should condemn them in the strongest language possible.
It shouldn’t be surprising that they wore menacing attire or acted in an intimidating manner (according to you; I wasn’t there, so I cannot comment). After all, they were organized by Salih Muhammad, a committed and engaged member of the Nation of Islam, which has a paramilitary wing of between 10-50,000 people within our own country known as “Fruit of Islam” that is intended to intimidate opponents of the crazy sect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_of_Islam
Nation of Islam is the violent criminal organization responsible for the death of Malcolm X, among others. His crime was to leave the group and become a traditional Moslem. This is the group whose committed member is leading the opposition to the bake sale.
thanks for pointing that out. disgraceful! Yeah, his FB page has links for NOI and Louis Farrakhan (deluded anti-Semite). and, that page has pro-Gaddafi info and a picture with Farrakhan shaking hands with Gaddafi. ugh, how did the coalition approve him as a representative? I think BCR are privileged, ignorant jerks with no taste, but the protest is an embarrassing overreaction and this guy is just an extremist.
At around 1:30 p.m. Yvette Felarca, the national organizer for BAMN,
invited the campus Republicans to debate affirmative action. She said
BAMN would argue the “criminality” of the Republicans group’s ideology.
Who on earth would agree to a debate that was so grossly biased?
Saying that someone else’s free speech is “criminal” is ridiculous.
Yvette Felarca is a BUSD elementary teacher.
Sorta explains why there are some young people with some real distorted ideas when it comes to free speech and respecting the rights of others.
Wow, I’m glad my daughters never had her as a teacher.
Yvette Felarca should be fired from BUSD for her involvement in a racist group that promotes hate speech and seeks to criminalize the free speech of those whose political opinions she disagrees with.
I just wanted to correct the slogan that Salih was shouting out, it went like this
““It is our duty to fight for our freedom! It is our duty to win! We must love and protect each other! We have nothing to lose but our CHAINS!!”
….Chains, not shame, we are not ashamed of ourselves, our demonstration or our fight.
More like “WAAH! WAAH! WAAH!”
[We have nothing to lose but our CHAINS!!]
Well, that sure explains it. People who run around quoting Karl Marx tend to have issues with individual freedom.
actually it was Assata Shakur who said that.
Wasn’t the first person to say that…
Tony M(enso)
“Chains, not shame”
Actually, the word is “brains.”
protests always bring out the news crews,
the incessant circling of helicopters is quite irritating,
not to mention an incredible waste of resources..
ya’ll should save it for something that matters: like tuition increases disappearing into UCOP’s gaping maw.
b/c today’s little yell-fest on Sproul isn’t worth it,
FYI: YA’LL ARE GETTING TROLLED HARD BY BCR.
THERE’S NOT ANYTHING ELSE TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT IT.
Not UCOP…blame the &^*%& state and the lack of attention paid by your governor.