Comments on: Strikers camp out

By: hmmm

hmmm — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 21:26:03 +0000

is anyone hungry? Pinnacle’s open…

By: @Strikers

@Strikers — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 13:10:10 +0000

The fact is, most students appreciate the Core. Only a few loud voices hijack the opinion of the many, as often happens on this campus. Most students would not agree to changing the Core, but they would support improving the way it’s taught.
First do what you can. Nobody wants a badly-taught Confucius class. We don’t even have the manpower to teach 200 sections of Confucius.

By: PS

PS — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 00:28:14 +0000

and don’t think that your having taken ONE CC core class makes your damning judgment of the entire core any more convincing. perhaps your argument would have been more credible if you’d taken the whole core first, but you seem to be pretty against the whole shebang without even having experienced the entirety of it. don’t you think that’s being a little premature?

By: enlighten me here

enlighten me here — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 00:21:48 +0000

I actually have looked at the GS core (last night–because i like to do my legwork before posting comments–SHOCKING for someone who isn’t particularly pro-strike, isn’t it??) And according to the website, there is nothing in the GS core that would suggest it as being overly “euro centric”, since you have the freedom to choose what literature and social science classes you want to take. what CC core classes have you taken exactly? have you taken contemporary civilization? if so, how did you feel marginalized by it? do you have any evidence that your fellow students actually felt that non-western cultures were “inferior” as a direct result of the content of that class?

By: the Man

the Man — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:01:34 +0000

What none of the strikers realize is that their actions simply hurt themselves by dragging their eventual alma mater’s name through the mud. Having a diploma with “Columbia” on it does not havethe same appeal to employers as it did say, 20 years ago.

The school is losing its association with prestige and elite education (and i mean elite as in good, not in some socioeconomic racism way). Its becoming viewed as a bastion of blind liberal socialism dominated by Ahmadinejad appearances, minuteman protests, and swastikas.

~an alum

By: Angelines Alba Mata

Angelines Alba Mata — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 20:10:51 +0000

Yep, that would be me. To answer your question: Actually, one, and I will be taking two others in the coming semesters. You might want to inform yourself about GS requirements and enrollment in core classes. Try the website. gs.columbia.edu. And if you have other personal questions, you can always email me.

moncha

By: Shit

Shit — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:04:50 +0000

You’re right.
Racists won’t be striking, I tell you that.

By: solid

solid — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:08:31 +0000

Those people who wrote racist shit in bathrooms are definitely racist, but they were also trying to get a reaction (overreaction) from people. Looks like they won.

By: yungbuck

yungbuck — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:03:25 +0000

What is the threat implied by this hunger strike? That if we don’t do what these kids say, they are going to die and that will make us sad? Why protract it then, why don’t they get on top of a building and threaten to jump off if we don’t do what they say? Same threat, requires more balls, less time to sit in the middle of campus and basically get more publicity. You can’t hunger strike in your rooms, you have to be outside so you can get pictures taken of how awesome of a martyr you are?

What if every time we wanted something we threatened personal injury or suicide until we got it? It reminds me of 9 year old logic, “ILL RUN AWAY FROM HOME!!” Why should we be held hostage because people are being extreme? We shouldnt.. even if the demands are reasonable, it sets a precedent for how to get your way. You can try and shape a place, but when that place has no legal or monetary obligation to do what you say, making threats is just resorting to desperation

By: thanks

thanks — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:30:13 +0000

“Fucktard?”…thanks for reminding me that we’re dealing with 17-year-olds here.

By: rolling my eyes

rolling my eyes — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:31:37 +0000

are you the same GS student who made the following comment on the spectator site:

On to more important matters. The euro centric core curriculum absolutely contributes to a nurturing climate of hate and intolerance because there is an implicit value judgment in the promotion of “western thought” as a tradition and canon that everyone must learn. The university is stating that they believe these authors, these political and social frameworks are the most important human contributions, thereby leading one to believe that other traditions are inferior. Additionally, by not looking critically at those texts and engaging in conversation about how specific western ideology has led to/justified the material destruction and oppression of other peoples (i.e. Locke and the taking of indigenous land, smith and the impact of free markets in latin america, etc) you are ignoring the experience of millions of people, many of whose descendants come to this school. Additionally, I believe that not engaging all students early on in their education about how colonialism, racism, class division, etc have shaped the world people will continue to think a noose is an appropriate form of conflict resolution. If we do not learn about how exactly the US was shaped under the pillaging of indigenous land, enslavement of africans, and immigrant labor(among other things), students will still think “go back where you came from” is a logical assertion.

how many CC core classes have you taken?

By: Angelines Alba Mata

Angelines Alba Mata — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 11:45:54 +0000

Is that what students of an ivy league school reduce themselves to? If you can’t engage in a meaningful political and social debate on intellectual terms, that does not mean you have the right to degrade a person’s character (“whore”) or out her personal business. While I disagree with many people’s postings here ( I fully support the strike), at least people engage the ideas, not the person. The first thing you learn in UW is to attack the idea, not the person. By attacking the person you are giving the perception that you are too stupid to debate critically. “The same goes for using words like fucktards.” Be an adult. It is not okay to reduce your intelligence to name calling and being mean spirited anonymously. If you are going to call someone a whore or try to spread malicious gossip, I suggest you “man-up” and say it to her, or my, face.

Moncha

By: wow, 48

wow, 48 — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 06:16:36 +0000

you are a fucktard.

By: bookie

bookie — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 06:14:06 +0000

does anyone have a roster of the strikers? i’ve got some people wanting to place bets on who’ll last the longest. thanks.

By: i support

i support — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 04:12:11 +0000

i support the strikers. good job guys.