[net.politics] good news...

cda@ucbentropy.berkeley.edu (04/08/86)

	April 8, 1986

	This morning anti-apartheid protesters have completely blockaded
	California Hall at UC Berkeley.  The blockade is non-violent, and
	police are keeping a low profile. UC employees who work at California
	Hall were given the entire day off.  

	In Nevada, anti-nuclear activists halted the underground atomic
	test scheduled to take place today.  Six persons have been arrested
	so far on the test site, and other activists are reputed to be
	present on the site.

tim@ism780c.UUCP (Tim Smith) (04/23/86)

In article <280@parcvax.Xerox.COM> bane@parcvax.Xerox.COM (John R. Bane) writes:
>
>They weren't just protesting apartheid, they were trying to get
>Berkely to divest its South African investments. That IS doing
>something constructive.
>

I don't think disrupting a school is constructive.  If they want Berkely
to divest, then they should convince the administration with rational
arguments that it is in the interests of the school to do so.  If the
school does not agree with them, then they should refuse to associate
with the school, not throw a tantrum.

For example, if I found out that the supermarket I shop at ( Ralphs ) was
helping to support apartheid, I would take my business to another
supermarket, and let Ralphs know why.  I would encourage other people
to do the same.  However, as long as investment in South Africa is legal,
I think it would be wrong for me to try to physically prevent other
people from shopping at Ralphs.

The situation at a university is similar.  These students were not forced
to go to U.C.B.  They are free to go to a school that does not
support apartheid.  They are also free to try to convince their
Congressthings to pass laws making it illegal for U.S. corporations
to invest in South Africa.

-- 
Tim Smith       sdcrdcf!ism780c!tim || ima!ism780!tim || ihnp4!cithep!tim