With the spate of protests on campuses lately, some students are getting the best part of their education outside the classroom; they are learning about consequences.
And they don’t like it.
First, let me preface this by congratulating them for taking a stand. What is happening in Israel and Gaza is beyond tragic, beyond horrific, flashing back to the horrors of World War II.
There is no justification for what Hamas did on October 7, 2023. There is similarly no justification for the continuous slaughter of innocent civilians in Gaza.
These dueling atrocities only fuel a never-ending cycle of hate and terror. Both Hamas and Israel bear responsibility for this continuity.
It is refreshing to see students, often oblivious to the realities of the world, take a stance.
But then they were shocked to encounter consequences.
The police arrested one woman during the protest for occupying a building on campus, and she expressed her disappointment that she wouldn’t be allowed to walk in her graduation ceremony.
“But my grandmother traveled a long way to watch me…” she whined.
Oh well, perhaps your grandmother should take pride in your willingness to take a stand for principles and accept the consequences of your actions.
You see, what they wanted was to break the law to get their voices heard but when it came time to pay the piper they whimpered and wailed and cried “how unfair!”
I recall the campus unrest during the war in Viet Nam. There were hundreds of protests, many turning violent. There is still the haunting image of the Kent State shooting by the National Guard.
Many of those protesters faced similar consequences for their stand against the war. Many paid the price for their actions. They may not have liked it, but they understood the risk.
They were right to take a stand against that terrible foreign policy blunder as are those who oppose the actions of Hamas and Israel. The difference lies in their dedication and commitment.
If you are going to take a stand against something and believe the only way to get your voice heard is to take drastic action, you must accept the consequences.
If you break the law, you get arrested. If you react with violence to the police enforcing the law, you must understand you will be met with force. The argument the police instigated the violence is nonsense. I can guarantee every cop at these incidents would prefer to be doing something else. But it is their job and they preformed it with restraint and professionalism.
That means, sometimes they meet force or resistance with more force to accomplish a legitimate purpose. If you don’t understand what might happen, stay home.
If you believe something is worthwhile standing up for, you must be willing to accept the consequences.
Stop whining, plead not guilty, go to trial and exercise your rights. Then, if you must, pay the price.
The whole world is watching to see if this generation remains true to their principles, or expects to scream, yell, and break things with no consequences.
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The Writing of Joe Broadmeadow 
Joe, once again you venture into turbulent water. In Taking a Stand you express respect for students following their conscience to take a stand, in this case against the brutality unfolding in Gaza. You mention too that students must be prepared to accept the consequences. I agree, to a point. During my lifetime I’ve participated in numerous demonstrations, each time with a focus on peaceful, non-violent resistance to what I understood to be an injustice. Each time, I was prepared to accept the consequences, including arrest. Never was I arrested, because people in authority, including police, chose restraint over confrontation.
When I follow the reporting of students protesting on college campuses, here in Boston and around the country, with a few exceptions, I see students voicing their conscience in peaceful, non violent ways. In my estimation too many college administrators, influenced by influential alumni donors and opportunistic politicians, have moved to a confrontational stance, rather than one of dialogue and negotiation. The price for conscience =’s loss of academic standing, difficulty in finding future employment and arrest. Add in police being brought in with riot gear (where there is no riot) further escalating tension.
So yes, there is a price to pay for following ones conscience. I believe it is a false choice to say that the only way to respond is with a show of force. In a healthy society, there must be ways for people to have their voices heard (not agreed with but heard) and for those in authority to respond, in a variety of ways, that de-escalates rather than leading to greater conflict.
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Nonviolent protest are the exception but once it is made clear the continuation poses either risk or interferes with other people’s ability to freely get to classes or their jobs it has crossed the line
Quite honestly I think the administration waited too long to put an end to it
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Well said, Joe B.
John
-an old protester always willing to accept the consequences
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Somehow I knew that
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