The main movements going on have been centered on anti-sweatshop campaigns, local labor issues, the environmental movement. They combined in the WTO/INF campaigns. Groups like Amnesty International have active chapters on many campuses. This is a big advance since the money driven days of the Eighties. Still no broader political movement. I think it will have hard to mount a campaign around Israel. There is a basic link our culture has with Israel. The Palestinian movement can be complicated to understand for many. Hezbola and similar groups seem centered on a very pro Muslim agenda, which doesn't resonate here. The current situation as reported is also a bit confusing. Both claim ownership of a hill, both with a long history. Its not even up to us to decide whos rights there. The actors in a sense seem to be equally liable. As the cameraman who took the video of the 12 year old being shot said, "both Palestinians and Israelis bare responsibility for that. It will take a longer more detailed campaign to clarify the issues. >I too find it disheartening to hear of so few persons demonstrating on the UC >campus. I am not sure the rally's being re Israel accounts for the lack of >response, especially, though. In spite of the--very, very >hopeful--activities the past year re WTO and re various ecological issues, in >fact other than an occasional expressions of "Oh those dot.coms!" or "Hey, >cool," very LITTLE political expression has come out of campuses, at least >from what I've heard, recently. > But I'm not in the academic world. What is the sense of you on this list >who are, on student political consciousness or activity now? > Paula John Johnson Change-Links Progressive Newspaper change@pacbell.net http://www.labridge.com/change-links/ Subscribe to our list server. Email change-links-subscribe@egroups.com (818) 982-1412
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