This is another one for the Bad Subjects website. Go on over and have a look at what I wrote.
Yesterday’s protest was indeed wild, since it was my first Canadian protest. Bigger and louder than anything I remember in the U.S. It would be an understatement to say that I was impressed.
This weekend is taken up with a visit from our friend Carol and the meeting of a working group, so I expect it’ll be all quiet here until early next week.
It used to be during the late 80s, and I suspect earlier, that one of the suspected reasons McGill lagged behind other Montreal universities is that a large percentage of its undergraduate student body came from private schools, in both Canada (mainly Toronto) and the US (many from New England and elsewhere). I don\’t know if this has changed much, but I\’ve always felt, as both a student and lecturer there, that the sense of entitlement among students was remarkably high. This didn\’t translate into political activism, necessarily. If you wanted politics you went to Concordia or UQAM. Just think about where these places are located spatially, and you can see the difference. McGill is set up on a hill, a little oasis in downtown. Concordia is on the street (and Concordia has always had closer ties with Montreal and the CEGEP system).
Yours in solidarity.
What an inspiring assertion of power. It would never happen in Ontario, I can assure you.
Ours is a system that simply would not budge at such an attempt, and surely would not care for any other reason than the negative publicity.
In addition, you would likely be hard pressed to find participants that actually followed through with an action of this nature.
Organizing [in Ontario] has more to do with elitist pseudo-activism cliques and one\’s status [or desire for status] therein.
Any real passion for issues or genuine concerns are far removed from social education issues.
Real action, born of sincere sacrifice, not disingenuous pretense acheives ends… It sure beats the \”professional protesters\” angle in efficacy, doesn\’t it?