Opinion
SESJ’s bold efforts
Bill Oram | April 23, 2008
Montana Kaimin
It’s easy to criticize the wackos, the zealots, the anti-establishmentarians.
In short, it’s easy to criticize Students for Economic and Social Justice.
The University of Montana student group, dedicated to workers’ rights in less-developed countries, made headlines last week for protesting on campus and staging a sit-in in President George Dennison’s office. It all was in an effort to have Dennison sign onto the Designated Suppliers Program, a proposal that would require companies to be cleared of human rights violations before a university would buy its apparel.
SESJ’s radical methods of negotiation have made it an easy target for condemnation.
From the chair of the observer it is always easiest to lob scorn. Perhaps SESJ deserves at least a modicum of recognition for its efforts.
The Worker Rights Consortium, the organization sponsoring the DSP, has been on the forefront of campus issues for more than two years, primarily thanks to SESJ.
Their dedication and passion are commendable. That nine members of the group were passionate enough about these issues to remain in Dennison’s office until they were hauled out by the police is admirable.
However, SESJ has to be aware that such bold methods are going to turn people off.
“They lost me when they chose to get arrested after we had talked about a legal mechanism, as opposed to some other method,” UM legal counsel David Aronofsky told the Kaimin Wednesday.
And while it may be mind-boggling that dreadlocked and angry protestors can convince a university president to take a strong stand, those same dreadlocked and angry protestors were key in pushing Dennison to join the WRC last spring. Additionally, they were able to schedule a meeting with Dennison, slated to take place late this morning.
The Kaimin, seeking comment on Dennison’s recent trip to China and relying solely on traditional methods, couldn’t get a spot on the president’s calendar anytime this week.
Apparently, those who squawk the loudest get the attention, and SESJ deserves kudos for taking advantage of that.
This generation’s lack of activism is constantly bemoaned, yet when confronted with a group that aggressively works for change, we shy away, unsure of what to make of it.
However, SESJ’s fervent activism only goes so far.
In today’s meeting between SESJ and Dennison, it’s time to drop the theatrics. The activists were invited into Dennison’s office – they don’t need to raid it this time – and need to reciprocate that professionalism.
UM may or may not latch on to the DSP. Compelling arguments abound on either side. While it is certainly globally prudent to resist supporting inhumane treatment of workers, the DSP does not yet exist, making Dennison’s support relatively inconsequential.
Behind close doors, SESJ leaders need to be able to turn around and lobby passionately and convincingly, they must engage in civil discourse with university officials. Otherwise, getting a face-to-face with Dennison won’t benefit anyone.
If they can do those things, however, then reaching a compromise over the DSP should be no sweat.
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Comments
“They lost me when they chose to get arrested after we had talked about a legal mechanism, as opposed to some other method,” UM legal counsel David Aronofsky told the Kaimin Wednesday.
Whhaaaaaaaaaaaat??!!! Are you telling me that UM Administrators are blowing off cause-happy hippie morons because of their baby snit-fit tactics?
Who could have predicted this stunning revelation? Perhaps ... Fred Stapleton.
Posted by Fred Stapleton on 04/23/2008 at 7:31 am
Bill-Thanks for the story.
Posted by Kelly on 04/23/2008 at 8:08 am
Great way to look at things. You did a fine job presenting the issue, although I would note that no one with dreadlocks sat in. This is not important- dreadlocks are nice - you just make note of it more than once. I don’t know if I even saw anyone with dreadlocks at the rally.
In all seriousness though, nice job, Bill.
Posted by Katie on 04/23/2008 at 8:19 am
I’m a little confused- you state in your article how easy it is to make fun of Students for Economic and Social Justice- and yet you turn around and make fun of them for being “zealots, wackos...” and place a dreadlock stereotype on the group (which no member of Students for Economic and Social Justice have chosen for their hairstyle). I would encourage editors, yet again, not to make assumptions as to the full breadth of tactics that are used within a group they are not apart of and not to make judgements on the activism choices of others.
That said, thank you for researching the issue and understanding the underlying concepts before writing an article about it. You did something that a lot of us felt was left out this year in the editorials in the Montana Kaimin- looked at both sides of the issue- giving merit and criticism where you felt it was due- and got your facts straight. Bring on the new year of the Montana Kaimin!
Posted by Lauren on 04/23/2008 at 9:09 am
The Kaimin never seems to fail at priting half-baked opinion articles. Besides the fact that “wacko” is conflated with “anti-establishmentarian”, the author resorts to using stereotypes of activists as people with “dreadlocks” in writing this piece. Maybe this made some over-worked and underpaid copy editors chuckle late at night when they scanned this article, but I personally find it offensive.
However, this is only criticism of the usual fluff which litters The Kaimin everyday—undoubtedly professional nay-sayers like Fred Stapleton will waste their time arguing over things like this though. What is really lamentable in this opinion article is how this author leaves major points unexplained and unsubstantiated. For example, what on earth is David Aronofsky talking about when he says the students who were arrested lost him “after talking about a legal mechanism or other methods”? This doesn’t make sense. Additionally, what are the compelling arguments against the DSP? I support SESJ because their members have taken pains to explain all the DSP’s benefits to me, but no where in The Kaimin have I ever read any compelling arguments against the program.
Finally, from what I understand the DSP does exist, and President Dennison’s support would make a difference. According to SESJ, the DSP is a policy and is undergoing a process that all proposals experience at one point in their lives, namely being in an intermediate stage of implementation. Its not surprising that major economic proposals attacking corporate power structures such as the DSP, are meeting resistance from the University (after all, Griz gear makes $ for UM), clothing conglomerates, and journalists. Viewed in this light, and considering that all advances for human rights have been the result of struggles, I think that President Dennison’s support would make a difference in the global fight against sweatshops. Hopefully the University won’t disappoint in their meeting with SESJ…
Posted by will on 04/24/2008 at 12:26 am
Hey Will!
Maybe the Kaimin called SESJ protestors “wackos” because, well, they’re freaking wacked out.
The protest move was a baby snit-fit conniption.
And what Aronofsky is trying to tell you is: Don’t expect us to take your side seriously when you try to reinvigorate 1960s-style protests rather than sit down and negotiate and reach an agreement.
Because if you act like children, UM administration will treat you like children.
So how about this? GROW UP, WACKOS.
Posted by Fred Stapleton on 04/24/2008 at 2:17 am
By the way, Mr. Oram notes in his piece that “those who squawk the loudest get the attention.” They may get far more attention from the Kaimin for staging “protests” that are mere shadows of the sit-ins of the past.
But that doesn’t correspond into attention from the administration.
I pointed out this example in the past. Various groups on campus were interested in promoting sustainability as a key part of UM’s planning and building. They wanted Dennison to sign on to a nationwide sustainability agreement. So they approached the administration—LIKE ADULTS—and entered discussions concerning the details—LIKE ADULTS—and Dennison signed the agreement and all sides left happy.
And guess what? No sit-ins. No ridiculous chanted slogans. No equation of corporations to Hitler/Nazism.
In short, interest groups that act like adults get treated like adults. Their concerns are heard, and agreements are reached.
Interest groups—no matter how just the cause—that pull publicity stunts and try to use shame as a tool of influence will get nowhere with this administration. Dennison and Duringer do NOT surrender to public opinion and they are never in the mood to be made fools of by publicity-seeking children who probably think it was more “fun” to get arrested than to get their crap together and make an adult presentation.
SESJ’s tactics and philosophy are rooted in an antiquated and obsolete form of discussion in which protests happen first and discussion happens later. That’s not the way this administration works.
Learn that, and maybe you’ll get your pet causes taken seriously.
Or maybe you can just keep pulling baby snit-fit publicity stunts.
Posted by Fred Stapleton on 04/24/2008 at 2:27 am
Fred, as a member of SESJ for two years, I was not a proponent of the sit-in. However, I like to think that having been part of this organization (and United Students Against Sweatshops), I can shed some light on what you are referring to as “antiquated” and “baby snit-fit publicity stunts.” The irrefutable argument SESJ members put forth for this action was simply precedent. UM is not the only school this year, or even over the last decade, to suffer such consequences for administrative balking on the issue of sweatshops. And, despite all logic, sit-ins have proven time and time again to work. Just last month, 11 students were arrested at Stanford university for sitting-in. Stanford, as a result, affiliated with the WRC- the same campaign that SESJ members won last year. Currently 31 students have been arrested at Penn State. Six students were arrested at Appalachian State last month, and at UNC-Chapel Hill, students have been sitting-in for the last five days. Such actions convinced the University of Washington, Columbia University, and in total, 40-some universities to adopt the DSP. Hundreds of Universities have joined the WRC, many as a direct result of sit-ins.
The conversation for the adoption of the DSP has gone on much longer than the sustainability conversation. Dennison was ready to support the President’s sustainability commitment. Furthermore, DSP meetings have been initiated by members of SESJ, and always conducted at a very professional level.
But the history, as someone on this board pointed, behind human rights is the history of struggle. There was a nuanced, and quite intriguing academic conversation on the role and efficacy of student action. The 1968 occupation of the Sorbonne in Paris by students led to the largest strike in European history- by the end of the month some 10 million French workers were striking as allies.
And here in Montana, we have our allies too, which includes many local unions. Some of those union representatives were at the rally, and continue to write letters to Dennison and our state representative on behalf of SESJ.
You certainly have strong convictions, but to those reading this board, I would encourage that before throwing around creatively demeaning words, read up in the news about the sit-ins across the country before forming an opinion.
Posted by Sean Morrison on 04/26/2008 at 2:01 pm
Sean-
Don’t waste time on Fred. I don’t think he’s really fired up about anything, but is rather just an attention-seeking personality.
Posted by Charles Copeland on 04/26/2008 at 11:42 pm
"This generation’s lack of activism is constantly bemoaned, yet when confronted with a group that aggressively works for change, we shy away, unsure of what to make of it.”
Nicely put, Bill.
I can’t help but think that it’s been activism that brought about civil rights, women’s suffrage, and the American Revolution.
Yeah, it makes me uncomfortable, but I concede that it’s more American to be an activist than to be a do-nothing zombie.
Posted by Erik Pritchard on 05/02/2008 at 12:36 pm
