The people with a lot more to lose are the ones putting themselves on the line. The “tenured” actually are protected in some ways by way of their tenure but aren’t speaking up for the students who are being brutalized by the state. Its so unbelievable that it almost feels like a satire brought to life.
Absolutely! When I say a lot to lose, I’m thinking more in an acquired capital sense. People who have gained by being part of an institution/system don’t want to sacrifice their acquisitions by rebelling against said systems.
Great piece as usual, Laleh. This echoes a lot of sentiments I had back in October, when I saw how truly “liberal” my liberal friends were when they drew a line in the sand and refused to stand up for palestine. This whole thing has shown us who is radical in practice versus who is only radical in theory, who wants to take their decolonial education into the streets and who wants to contain it to the classroom.
I can't help but feel as though this cycle of contemplating and reaffirming theories on struggle for liberation, be it decolonial or otherwise, while actively discouraging, and even repressing, any sort of praxis upon the theory is baked into the University system as a whole. The whole system was handcrafted during the cold war in an intentionally anti-communist, anti-revolutionary mold and keeping decolonial attitude contained to the classroom is likely an intentional feature to the system, I guess I mean to say, and not a bug. This all reminds me of the Kent state massacre tbh, in not at all a good way.
It's horrifying how people who are otherwise rational and believe in liberal causes decided to side with Hamas after they committed the largest massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Liberal American Jewish people were abandoned after 10/7 by our so-called allies and friends.
Looking at the way the authorities are harshly reacting against the people exercising their constitutional rights, it is obvious, they are adopting the Zionists' techniques the Zionists use against the Palestinians in the occupied Palestine and Gaza.
The nation that gave the world the citizens' "Bill of Rights" is now in danger of losing their own citizens' rights.
A lot of words to say nothing. Kinda describes this post. I doubt you see it, but you should try to avoid advocating for the fascism you claim to despise. You assume that all the people who are not speaking up share your point of view and are cowards unwilling to take the same stand as you. Another possibility is that they stay silent because they fear you.
Whoosh. You do realize that’s what I encouraged you to do right? Your point in this post was “these people aren’t doing what I want, therefore they are part of the imperialist system, identity be damned”. You assume so much of your own righteousness. It’s that dogmatism that’s a trap. I imagine you’ll fail to see this point too.
The people with a lot more to lose are the ones putting themselves on the line. The “tenured” actually are protected in some ways by way of their tenure but aren’t speaking up for the students who are being brutalized by the state. Its so unbelievable that it almost feels like a satire brought to life.
Absolutely! When I say a lot to lose, I’m thinking more in an acquired capital sense. People who have gained by being part of an institution/system don’t want to sacrifice their acquisitions by rebelling against said systems.
Great piece as usual, Laleh. This echoes a lot of sentiments I had back in October, when I saw how truly “liberal” my liberal friends were when they drew a line in the sand and refused to stand up for palestine. This whole thing has shown us who is radical in practice versus who is only radical in theory, who wants to take their decolonial education into the streets and who wants to contain it to the classroom.
Absolutely! It’s disappointing and horrifying on so many levels.
I can't help but feel as though this cycle of contemplating and reaffirming theories on struggle for liberation, be it decolonial or otherwise, while actively discouraging, and even repressing, any sort of praxis upon the theory is baked into the University system as a whole. The whole system was handcrafted during the cold war in an intentionally anti-communist, anti-revolutionary mold and keeping decolonial attitude contained to the classroom is likely an intentional feature to the system, I guess I mean to say, and not a bug. This all reminds me of the Kent state massacre tbh, in not at all a good way.
It's horrifying how people who are otherwise rational and believe in liberal causes decided to side with Hamas after they committed the largest massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Liberal American Jewish people were abandoned after 10/7 by our so-called allies and friends.
I loved reading this
Thank you!
Looking at the way the authorities are harshly reacting against the people exercising their constitutional rights, it is obvious, they are adopting the Zionists' techniques the Zionists use against the Palestinians in the occupied Palestine and Gaza.
The nation that gave the world the citizens' "Bill of Rights" is now in danger of losing their own citizens' rights.
America is being turned into the Zionists' image.
A Naziesque, fascist state.
A Kafkaesque nightmare.
A lot of words to say nothing. Kinda describes this post. I doubt you see it, but you should try to avoid advocating for the fascism you claim to despise. You assume that all the people who are not speaking up share your point of view and are cowards unwilling to take the same stand as you. Another possibility is that they stay silent because they fear you.
not sure why you read posts that apparently say nothing, look inward
Whoosh. You do realize that’s what I encouraged you to do right? Your point in this post was “these people aren’t doing what I want, therefore they are part of the imperialist system, identity be damned”. You assume so much of your own righteousness. It’s that dogmatism that’s a trap. I imagine you’ll fail to see this point too.
Your words echo … thank you so much! Xx
I have found Halberstam’s writing frustrating and theoretically useless but they have been to the encampments at Columbia: https://youtu.be/sjre8-bSe8I?si=ygcKHlRK6FwWLeDa
Yes! They hadn’t when I wrote this but glad they have now.