UT Pro-Palestine Protest Thread

[Skipper 6192]

9 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

Regardless of whether you support the students or the administration, I’m just glad to see students care about something/anything. Maybe in the future they will turn their attention to a corrupt Supreme Court justice who takes bribes and a presidential candidate who is charged with too many felonies to count. 

I dunno - sounds kind of mainstream and harder to coordinate outfits for.  And "From the River to the Sea Donald Trump shall not go free" probably isn't edgy enough.

[Chuckie Finster 22725]

1 hour ago, Mikey4 said:

Why are they setting up tents in the first place? Are people resting in them in between protests or something? I don't understand what purpose they serve.

The honest answer: setting up a tent in a place where tents are frowned upon is the least effort/highest payoff form of protest for a broke college kid. They all are well aware that building a drag rat village on the most storied part of campus will make everyone lose their shit. 

It's part of what makes the bullshit reaction from the cops today so disgraceful - it's EXACTLY what the protesters want to happen.

Edited April 30 by Chuckie Finster

[Alien Octopus 559]

Most of the UT-Austin protesters arrested are not believed to be affiliated with the university, school says

From CNN’s Ashley Killough

Several protesters have been arrested at UT-Austin Monday, most of whom are not believed to be affiliated with the university, school officials said in a statement. 

“After protesters ignored repeated directives from both the administration and law enforcement officers to comply with Institutional Rules and remove tents assembled on the University’s South Lawn, then physically engaged with and verbally assaulted Dean of Students staff who attempted to confiscate them, UT and partner law enforcement agencies dismantled an encampment and arrested several protesters,” university officials said in a statement. “Baseball size rocks were found strategically placed within the encampment.”

[Brisketexan 105275]

This seems like a more appropriate/measured response
https://president.uchicago.edu/from-the-president/messages/240429-concerning-the-encampment

My kingdom for the measured wisdom of…the University of Chicago.

[Captainant 27727]

8 minutes ago, Alien Octopus said:

 

Most of the UT-Austin protesters arrested are not believed to be affiliated with the university, school says

From CNN’s Ashley Killough

Several protesters have been arrested at UT-Austin Monday, most of whom are not believed to be affiliated with the university, school officials said in a statement. 

“After protesters ignored repeated directives from both the administration and law enforcement officers to comply with Institutional Rules and remove tents assembled on the University’s South Lawn, then physically engaged with and verbally assaulted Dean of Students staff who attempted to confiscate them, UT and partner law enforcement agencies dismantled an encampment and arrested several protesters,” university officials said in a statement. “Baseball size rocks were found strategically placed within the encampment.”

1) the law signed by Greg Abbott five years ago makes it crystal clear that all members of the public have a right to peaceful speech in public places, which explicitly include college campuses. The law was originally signed to hold the door open for proud boy types to come speak on campus, and abbott is bigmad that it's being used in a way he doesn't like

2) I could definitely see rocks being used to hold tents down in place on a windy day, and I'd bet the pigs would call anything near them as being "strategically placed within the encampment"

Edited April 30 by Captainant

[BrickHorn 18277]

4 minutes ago, Captainant said:

2) I could definitely see rocks being used to hold tents down in place on a windy day, and I'd bet the pigs would call anything near them as being "strategically placed within the encampment"

“Furtive placement,” imo.

[YGIFS 19452]

Not saying some of the protestors didn't have ill-intent (pun intented).  But yeah, every single time I setup a tent, you'll always find rocks nearby.  Because I either clear them from under the footprint so I don't have to sit/sleep on top of them.  Or I find one nearby to hammer in the stakes because I don't really feel like lugging a hammer around in my pack all day.  Something's telling me these kids are smart enough to know you get caught carrying a fucking hammer around campus, they'll figure out a way to charge you with a crime for threatening an officer. 

But yes, it is surreal to see Abbott freaking the fuck out about this since the very protection these young folks are operating under was signed into law by him for the opposite reason.  

csb/ during one of the big Covid variant surges couple years ago, I had to get my UT ID card updated.  so I go in the building for a new photo.  But the camera is mounted like 2' from me and the guy is right on top of me with no mask.  So I said, "Uh, can we just use my last one from a ~5 years ago."  I think he got my discomfort vibe.  So he goes scrolling through his computer across the room but can't find it.  But says, "I have one of you from the mid 2000's, grad school maybe?"  So I said "Fine, that'll work."  So now I can show ID to DPS like Steve Buscemi meme "Greetings, fellow student protestors.  I am aware my hair is almost completely grey now."  All that to say, I'm curious how all these non-student individuals' stories/motivations will play out.  

Edited April 30 by YGIFS

[Bevo 13596]

3 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

Not saying some of the protestors didn't have ill-intent (pun intented).  But yeah, every single time I setup a tent, you'll always find rocks nearby.  Because I either clear them from under the footprint so I don't have to sit/sleep on top of them.  Or I find one nearby to hammer in the stakes because I don't really feel like lugging a hammer around in my pack all day.  Something's telling me these kids are smart enough to know you get caught carrying a fucking hammer around campus, they'll figure out a way to charge you with a crime for threatening an officer. 

 

 

I've never used more than one rock to drive in the stakes, but I could see someone using a different rock for each stake. Plus, it probably has something to do with abundance camping in the Rockies as opposed to campus.

[InkaUtexas 26072]

3 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

linky-poo

Gracias. a few sets ordered. Off to Sudan!

[Surly Bevo 25139]

My kingdom for the measured wisdom of…the University of Chicago.

The interesting thing is that statement isn’t capitulating it all. There’s even a little nicely veiled “you can go have your little protest over in the corner and we will look the other way in deference to your rights to free speech” snark to it. Then outlines the somewhat vague notion of “when this gets disruptive we may act”.


Smart in that it doesn’t come across as heavy handed but still makes clear there is a line.

[YGIFS 19452]

8 minutes ago, Bevo said:

 

I've never used more than one rock to drive in the stakes, but I could see someone using a different rock for each stake. Plus, it probably has something to do with abundance camping in the Rockies as opposed to campus.

I will sometimes use more than one because when I start staking the spikes crooked, I'll blame the rock instead of myself and get a new one   

But there are actually more rocks than you'd think in the hedges/tree beds that flank the South Mall/six-Pack.  Which may explain the earlier report.  

[Beau Vine 54381]

You don't throw rocks!! You throw cans of soup!!! I learned that on Fox News.

[YGIFS 19452]

Man, I forgot all about that when he went on that inane rant about protestors hurling cans of soup.  And he got self-conscious about all the shit he was getting for it, so weeks later...changed it 'Cans of Tuna' 

I remember thinking "If I had any technical ability at all...get him overlaid onto that Mr. Mom Schooner Tuna fake commercial."  But satire only works when it's more sublime than the original content itself.  

[Brisketexan 105275]

The interesting thing is that statement isn’t capitulating it all. There’s even a little nicely veiled “you can go have your little protest over in the corner and we will look the other way in deference to your rights to free speech” snark to it. Then outlines the somewhat vague notion of “when this gets disruptive we may act”.


Smart in that it doesn’t come across as heavy handed but still makes clear there is a line.

And there should be a line. “The administration is spoiling for a fight and a chance to look like the Gestapo” shooting be that line.

[sasquatch69 603]

As we finished our campus tour today, one of the senior guides who was doing his last-ever tour before graduation teared up as he told the group how much his time on the 40 Acres meant to him, as his parents and friends looked on and cheered him … and then a woman rode by on a bike screaming “UT COMMITS FUCKING GENOCIDE” repeatedly in an effort to drown him out. So that happened… 

[burntorangebongos 10752]

That is an awesome UT story that I would tell my grand kids if I had any. That is funny and encapsulates what there is to love about UT Austin. 

[HiggyBaby 2545]

22 minutes ago, sasquatch69 said:

As we finished our campus tour today, one of the senior guides who was doing his last-ever tour before graduation teared up as he told the group how much his time on the 40 Acres meant to him, as his parents and friends looked on and cheered him … and then a woman rode by on a bike screaming “UT COMMITS FUCKING GENOCIDE” repeatedly in an effort to drown him out. So that happened… 

Was she topless with a shaved head? Cuz I think I’ve seen her…

[YGIFS 19452]

25 minutes ago, sasquatch69 said:

As we finished our campus tour today, one of the senior guides who was doing his last-ever tour before graduation teared up as he told the group how much his time on the 40 Acres meant to him, as his parents and friends looked on and cheered him … and then a woman rode by on a bike screaming “UT COMMITS FUCKING GENOCIDE” repeatedly in an effort to drown him out. So that happened… 

I don't know why, but I pictured the people in your story like the Tom Green campus tour in "Road Trip"  

[F250 28814]

52 minutes ago, burntorangebongos said:

That is an awesome UT story that I would tell my grand kids if I had any. That is funny and encapsulates what there is to love about UT Austin. 

[F250 28814]

1 hour ago, sasquatch69 said:

As we finished our campus tour today, one of the senior guides who was doing his last-ever tour before graduation teared up as he told the group how much his time on the 40 Acres meant to him, as his parents and friends looked on and cheered him … and then a woman rode by on a bike screaming “UT COMMITS FUCKING GENOCIDE” repeatedly in an effort to drown him out. So that happened… 

After my tour, I was walking around with my parents when we came upon a booth where some pamphlets were being handed out. Suddenly, this older guy rolls up on a mountain bike wearing some cutoff Jean shorts and tennis shoes. He has long hair and a beard and smells like armpits and pot. He picks up a pamphlet and mumbles something, throws a peace sign and rides off.

Someone nearby says "That's my professor."

Me and my parents at that moment.

[HenryJames 66160]

5 hours ago, HiggyBaby said:

Was she topless with a shaved head? Cuz I think I’ve seen her…

Pics?

[lucious leftfoot 126]

11 hours ago, MissingInAction said:

We are gonna see BLM level shit before the week is over.

 

11 hours ago, Incredulity said:

God I hope not.  

Things are progressing nicely in NYC. 
 

 

 

[MonkeyDoughnut 10352]

9 hours ago, Surly Bevo said:

This seems like a more appropriate/measured response

https://president.uchicago.edu/from-the-president/messages/240429-concerning-the-encampment

Not a fan of "we have rules but have decided in this particular case they don't apply". Bad precedent to set IMO.

[hayden_horn 11365]

28 minutes ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

Not a fan of "we have rules but have decided in this particular case they don't apply". Bad precedent to set IMO.

lol

dumb authoritarian bullshit rules are meant to be disregarded and discarded. 

[ChickenSandwich 9849]

1 hour ago, lucious leftfoot said:

 

Things are progressing nicely in NYC. 
 

 

 

Not UT. 
 

 

[lucious leftfoot 126]

1 hour ago, hayden_horn said:

lol

dumb authoritarian bullshit rules are meant to be disregarded and discarded. 

I agree with you, but have a feeling we disagree on what qualifies. One man’s dumb authoritarian bullshit rules is another man’s “law and order” or even  “greater good”. 

Edited April 30 by lucious leftfoot
Fixed

[mdmost 43030]

Just now, lucious leftfoot said:

even  “greater good” during a pandemic

[Wally Pryor 5262]

22 minutes ago, ChickenSandwich said:

Not UT. 
 

 

Yet.

[Homercles 10206]

I see we’ve long since reached the ‘new poster/sock fearlessly jumping into the most contentious thread of the week to furiously spew knowledge and contrarian viewpoints’ stage

[wildcat09 29376]

11 minutes ago, lucious leftfoot said:

I agree with you, but have a feeling we disagree on what qualifies. One man’s dumb authoritarian bullshit rules is another man’s “law and order” or even  “greater good”. 

[Alien Octopus 559]

10 hours ago, Captainant said:

1) the law signed by Greg Abbott five years ago makes it crystal clear that all members of the public have a right to peaceful speech in public places, which explicitly include college campuses. The law was originally signed to hold the door open for proud boy types to come speak on campus, and abbott is bigmad that it's being used in a way he doesn't like

2) I could definitely see rocks being used to hold tents down in place on a windy day, and I'd bet the pigs would call anything near them as being "strategically placed within the encampment"

Yeah ok, then what is all this outrage about spraying students when they are not students? They are paid protestors espousing the protection of the Death to America, Kill Jews, Mutilate Women and sell children regime? Ya’ll may be against all things Hot Wheels but your choice of outrage for these pieces of shit does not resonate.
 

Here are some funky jews that resonate with me.

 

This One is Called Rectify!

 

 

[troph 24905]

Geez what a cluster.  Abbott is a monster probably loving this. Hartzell is either (1) an Abbott disciple, (2) a yes man, or (3) in over his head. 

I support this being a firing offense. If we fire Chris Beard over allegations we can and should fire Hartzell over this. 

the right to assemble is not unregulated. Public safety, non-interference (in this case with the functioning of a university), rules against encampment and even permitting are all concepts that have been upheld by SCOTUS (before it was politicized) or would be consistent. 

attacking those assembling will often lead to a ramping up of the confrontation so insert joker meme “here we go”.

Columbia is FUBAR. Chicago message is kinda wtf? Good luck with that those assemblers are going to force your hand Paul. 

and I don’t think these gatherings are intended to be peaceful, I think the government and university are not helping AT ALL but this confrontation is what the assemblers want. They want to show how oppressive the US governmental institutions are and well they aren’t wrong. 

As for the underlying politics of Israel and Hamas - geez man, maybe we stop killing people. As of right now it’s pretty apparent Israel is well beyond defending itself. It’s moved into systematic destruction of an entire mega city. Worthy of protest and this is coming from someone who was a staunch supporter at the outset of the Israeli response. Enough already. Stop. 
 

editor’s note: yes I’ve changed two publicly held positions - Hartzell needs to go, Israel needs to stop. I remain unsure who is ultimately in charge and how decisions are being made but we can only fire Greg, Dan and Ken one way, Jay can be fired through normal employment practices though and all four need to be escorted out of the building. 

Edited April 30 by troph

[Captainant 27727]

10 minutes ago, Alien Octopus said:

Yeah ok, then what is all this outrage about spraying students when they are not students? They are paid protestors espousing the protection of the Death to America, Kill Jews, Mutilate Women and sell children regime? Ya’ll may be against all things Hot Wheels but your choice of outrage for these pieces of shit does not resonate.

That's... Not what the protest was about? Despite you and yours continued gaslighting and repetition of abbott's propaganda. The protest has consistently been for UT to divest from the companies that are making the bombs that are blowing up civilians in Gaza. 

And seeing as you are completely non responsive to any of the facts, and instead just culture warring, leads me to believe that you are just trolling

[BrickHorn 18277]

39 minutes ago, lucious leftfoot said:

One man’s dumb authoritarian bullshit rules is another man’s “law and order” or even  “greater good”. 

We call the latter men “Nazi assholes.”

[SquishMitten 10425]

Man, I just don’t believe these protests would be where they are right now without the cops escalating it. At this point, I’m really worried it’s going to keep getting worse because the cops just can’t help themselves. Whether it’s them taking the bait of someone antagonistically putting up a tent or not is a bit beside the point. In a proper world, the government should act like the adult and try everything they can to deescalate. But I give that almost no chance of happening.

Hartzell may be the only one who can save this situation, and it will involve him acting like an adult and joining the protesters .. not in their message, but physically going down there, standing with them, stating that he supports their right to peacefully assemble, and ordering the police to stand down. Some will say that’s a risk to his personal safety now, but if he’d done it last week I truly don’t believe we’d be where we are today. 
 

In the end, I guess my point is that Hartzell made this bed, and now he needs to fix it.

Edited April 30 by SquishMitten

[Alien Octopus 559]

6 minutes ago, Captainant said:

That's... Not what the protest was about? Despite you and yours continued gaslighting and repetition of abbott's propaganda. The protest has consistently been for UT to divest from the companies that are making the bombs that are blowing up civilians in Gaza. 

And seeing as you are completely non responsive to any of the facts, and instead just culture warring, leads me to believe that you are just trolling

“Seeing you as unresponsive to these facts” as you are about Hamas activities before and after Oct 7th sounds like you are gaslighting. See how that works?
 

The protests all over the country have mentioned “from the river to the sea” which goes beyond divestment.  Also, were UT to divest from the military the J Pickle research campus would be as fucked as the neurology dept section of the Sociology Dept. Get real.

[Macklemore 2873]

17 hours ago, BrickHorn said:

Oh cool. You're like Beetlejuice, except I only had to type “dumb fucking fascist” once for you to suddenly appear. 

You have to say that 3 times for me to come out to you. If you want fascist cosplay, you’ll have to provide the party favors. 

[Skipper 6192]

4 minutes ago, SquishMitten said:

Man, I just don’t believe these protests would be where they are right now without the cops escalating it.

Really?  Have you not seen how things have gone in NYC and on the West Coast without police or administration escalating?  Give them an inch they will take a yard.  Some of you need to open your eyes and realize these aren't a bunch of hippies smoking pot and singing Give Peace a Chance like in your good old days.     I feel like plenty on this board are letting their hate for Trump/Abbot/MAGA cloud their judgment.  Listen to some of the jewish students speak (including those on UT campus) about the rhetoric they are hearing walking around campus.  How about protestors at UCLA not letting Jews on campus.   The national news was disgusting this morning.  Not fox news or newsmax, fucking mainstream national news.  80% of this country is disgusted at what is taking place.  But sure - Hartzell is the problem.

[bschoolprof 6271]

12 minutes ago, SquishMitten said:

Man, I just don’t believe these protests would be where they are right now without the cops escalating it.

Do you have access to the internet beyond this site? 

These encampment protests are playing out all over the country, at many universities. Laissez faire administration does nothing to prevent them; in fact, it seems to embolden them.     

[Longhornfan1024 1707]

Given that since 10/6 there have been a number of pro-Palestinian protests on campus that went off smoothly, I wonder what made this one different.  Why respond the way they did now?  

[Chuckie Finster 22725]

4 minutes ago, Skipper said:

Really?  Have you not seen how things have gone in NYC and on the West Coast without police or administration escalating?  Give them an inch they will take a yard.  Some of you need to open your eyes and realize these aren't a bunch of hippies smoking pot and singing Give Peace a Chance like in your good old days.     I feel like plenty on this board are letting their hate for Trump/Abbot/MAGA cloud their judgment.  Listen to some of the jewish students speak (including those on UT campus) about the rhetoric they are hearing walking around campus.  How about protestors at UCLA not letting Jews on campus.   The national news was disgusting this morning.  Not fox news or newsmax, fucking mainstream national news.  80% of this country is disgusted at what is taking place.  But sure - Hartzell is the problem.

For those uninformed... 

 

[Da Fino 2783]

Shouldn't this protest be taking place at UTIMCO?

[Bevo 13596]

50 minutes ago, Captainant said:

That's... Not what the protest was about? Despite you and yours continued gaslighting and repetition of abbott's propaganda. The protest has consistently been for UT to divest from the companies that are making the bombs that are blowing up civilians in Gaza. 

And seeing as you are completely non responsive to any of the facts, and instead just culture warring, leads me to believe that you are just trolling

 

The chants tell a different story.

[gsoda3 3281]

23 hours ago, immamac said:

What happens here and how we feel about it is clearly more important than coverage of the actual conflict which is now boring and played out. “Israel kills more Palestinians who don’t even have guns to fight back anymore” can only be written so many ways before people get bored and have to make it about them. 

quite the succinct explanation of why you haven't moved this entire thread to the CR. i'm so tired of having to wade through 5 pages of hot takes before stumbling on to news of actual events.

[Captainant 27727]

Sigh. Its unfortunate that sack's posting of a tucker carlson network affiliated student news paper has given y'all the justification you were looking for to write off all of this as basic antisemitism. Nevermind that abbott signed the free speech law to allow neonazis a more free hand to speak on campus

[wildcat09 29376]

15 minutes ago, Skipper said:

Really?  Have you not seen how things have gone in NYC and on the West Coast without police or administration escalating?  Give them an inch they will take a yard.  Some of you need to open your eyes and realize these aren't a bunch of hippies smoking pot and singing Give Peace a Chance like in your good old days.     I feel like plenty on this board are letting their hate for Trump/Abbot/MAGA cloud their judgment.  Listen to some of the jewish students speak (including those on UT campus) about the rhetoric they are hearing walking around campus.  How about protestors at UCLA not letting Jews on campus.   The national news was disgusting this morning.  Not fox news or newsmax, fucking mainstream national news.  80% of this country is disgusted at what is taking place.  But sure - Hartzell is the problem.

Do you seriously think Jews are unable to physically enter UCLA’s campus?

[Nivek 16979]

12 hours ago, Surly Bevo said:

This seems like a more appropriate/measured response

https://president.uchicago.edu/from-the-president/messages/240429-concerning-the-encampment

Quote

 

 

[Brisketexan 105275]

1 hour ago, Alien Octopus said:

Yeah ok, then what is all this outrage about spraying students when they are not students? They are paid protestors espousing the protection of the Death to America, Kill Jews, Mutilate Women and sell children regime?

The bolded is why "FUCK YOU."  You are pissed about the content of the speech.  The content doesn't.  Fucking.  Matter.  That's the whole motherfucking point of the First Amendment, and the Texas Statute that your hero governor waved around (whoops....turns out he only meant that law to apply to speech he agrees with.  Bad move, Abbott).

I don't agree with any of the messages you stated (although you overstate like a motherfucker and commit about a dozen logical fallacies in the process).  But they are 100%...not 90%, not 99%, but 100% allowed by law to peacefully state their position, no matter how loathsome any of us may find it.

Either the First Amendment protects speech, or it doesn't.  You don't get to cherrypick its applicability based on whether you agree with the message.  That's the one approach that you can't take.  Yet.....a shitload of people on this very thread are taking it, demonstrating yet again that the percentage of Americans who get how the First Amendment works is likely in the low single digits.

[956 Worldwide 34747]

1 hour ago, Captainant said:

That's... Not what the protest was about? Despite you and yours continued gaslighting and repetition of abbott's propaganda. The protest has consistently been for UT to divest from the companies that are making the bombs that are blowing up civilians in Gaza. 

And seeing as you are completely non responsive to any of the facts, and instead just culture warring, leads me to believe that you are just trolling

Their point of farthest divergence and least sympathy from me, TBH.  It’s fine to call for it, I guess, but I don’t know how you watch Russia and China and conclude that we need to divest from our defense industrial base.

Texas public schools get funded and we also get to develop Virginia-class boats, B-21s, and air breathing cruise missiles? 
 

[BabaYaga 15305]

2 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

Their point of farthest divergence and least sympathy from me, TBH.  It’s fine to call for it, I guess, but I don’t know how you watch Russia and China and conclude that we need to divest from our defense industrial base.

Texas public schools get funded and we also get to develop Virginia-class boats, B-21s, and air breathing cruise missiles? 
 

This.  Are they shouting from the divestment of all the wafer/chip manufacturing that allows all these systems to actually work?  That's why Taiwan is so important.  We can make due with older iPhones and laptops.  We can't implement cutting edge weapons systems at the scale we need without them, and neither can anyone else.  The MIC is do ingrained into every facet of society I don't know how any school with market investment can 100% divest from every aspect is this industry.