Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Protesting at SF State
By Angela Generoso, Online Managing Editor
When I first moved to San Francisco in the summer of 2003 I was instantly in love with this city.
I vowed to learn the public transportation system inside and out. I wanted to explore every nook and cranny and be involved in everything.
I wanted to be a San Franciscan.
So naturally when my first anti-war protest came about, I had to be a part of it. It was October 25, 2003: the march on Market Street. I was so excited about it, I still have the flier.
I very strongly oppose the war in Iraq, and I was very much in favor of ending the US occupation at that time.
However, as a journalist I have since learned to look at both sides of the situation…both in covering the events surrounding the war and just talking to people on both sides. I don’t believe objectivity in journalism exists, but if you look at some coverage of anti-war protests, it’s blatantly not attempted.
Sfgate.com published a story on the anti-war protest that took place Saturday. The story reported only about six counter-protesters present during the event.
I find it hard to believe throughout an anti-war protest of over 20,000 people only six college republicans from SF State showed up to have their voices heard. I know this is a liberal city, but six? No way.
SF State has been home to many protests over the years. [X]Press Online published a piece last May displaying an inside look at the anti-war demonstrations throughout the years, recent events and the response from the administration. SF State reportedly launched the longest strike in the nation in 1968 as an effort for students to take over their education.
The result led to the first ever Department of Ethnic Studies.
However, protests and activism didn’t start there. According to the chair of the Humanities Department, student activism was prevalent at SF State many years before, and there has always been a tradition of conflict with authority at this campus.
Because of this, there is a natural urge to protest upon arriving at SF State. I know I wanted to do it too. But I was just another protester doing the activism act.
Now I look back and realize I was one of those people who was protesting just to protest. Although I feel strongly against the war in Iraq I know there are other aspects of the situation that mainstream media doesn’t always clarify.
The other voices need to be heard too. There are so many people with so many stories regarding the war in Iraq, and it’s hard not to get emotional about the situation.
But now as incoming freshmen at SF State are learning to protest for the first time, it’s important to be aware of who is an activist because they believe in it, and who is an acitivist because it’s just “so San Francisco.”
See related story at [X]Press News Online
When I first moved to San Francisco in the summer of 2003 I was instantly in love with this city.
I vowed to learn the public transportation system inside and out. I wanted to explore every nook and cranny and be involved in everything.
I wanted to be a San Franciscan.
So naturally when my first anti-war protest came about, I had to be a part of it. It was October 25, 2003: the march on Market Street. I was so excited about it, I still have the flier.
I very strongly oppose the war in Iraq, and I was very much in favor of ending the US occupation at that time.
However, as a journalist I have since learned to look at both sides of the situation…both in covering the events surrounding the war and just talking to people on both sides. I don’t believe objectivity in journalism exists, but if you look at some coverage of anti-war protests, it’s blatantly not attempted.
Sfgate.com published a story on the anti-war protest that took place Saturday. The story reported only about six counter-protesters present during the event.
I find it hard to believe throughout an anti-war protest of over 20,000 people only six college republicans from SF State showed up to have their voices heard. I know this is a liberal city, but six? No way.
SF State has been home to many protests over the years. [X]Press Online published a piece last May displaying an inside look at the anti-war demonstrations throughout the years, recent events and the response from the administration. SF State reportedly launched the longest strike in the nation in 1968 as an effort for students to take over their education.
The result led to the first ever Department of Ethnic Studies.
However, protests and activism didn’t start there. According to the chair of the Humanities Department, student activism was prevalent at SF State many years before, and there has always been a tradition of conflict with authority at this campus.
Because of this, there is a natural urge to protest upon arriving at SF State. I know I wanted to do it too. But I was just another protester doing the activism act.
Now I look back and realize I was one of those people who was protesting just to protest. Although I feel strongly against the war in Iraq I know there are other aspects of the situation that mainstream media doesn’t always clarify.
The other voices need to be heard too. There are so many people with so many stories regarding the war in Iraq, and it’s hard not to get emotional about the situation.
But now as incoming freshmen at SF State are learning to protest for the first time, it’s important to be aware of who is an activist because they believe in it, and who is an acitivist because it’s just “so San Francisco.”
See related story at [X]Press News Online
# posted by Phil Deez @ 10:45 AM 
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I promise to keep this comment plug-free. And I agree: this is a great blog.
I too am unabashedly liberal, and typically find myself right at home in Baghdad by the Bay.
I started noticing several years ago, though, that protests here are such "Everything but the kitchen sink" affairs. You can pretty much expect a march against the war to include a faction on Mumia Abu-Jamal (sorry, that guy's NEVER getting out of prison), something about how racist Israel is, a splinter group on animal rights, and of course, plenty of "FUCK BUSH" signs.
For me, this is not only distasteful, it's also counter-productive. What happened to good old focused, active demonstrating? What happened to shutting down the system by any means necessary? In my opinion, if you're gonna protest, don't do so half-assedly. Pick a topic, and attack it full-on. Be respectful of opposition, or you shoot yourself (and your cause du jour) in the foot.
I realize this entry was more about coverage than the protests themselves. I just saw an opening to comment on something that's been on my mind since Bush v. Gore in 2000.
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I too am unabashedly liberal, and typically find myself right at home in Baghdad by the Bay.
I started noticing several years ago, though, that protests here are such "Everything but the kitchen sink" affairs. You can pretty much expect a march against the war to include a faction on Mumia Abu-Jamal (sorry, that guy's NEVER getting out of prison), something about how racist Israel is, a splinter group on animal rights, and of course, plenty of "FUCK BUSH" signs.
For me, this is not only distasteful, it's also counter-productive. What happened to good old focused, active demonstrating? What happened to shutting down the system by any means necessary? In my opinion, if you're gonna protest, don't do so half-assedly. Pick a topic, and attack it full-on. Be respectful of opposition, or you shoot yourself (and your cause du jour) in the foot.
I realize this entry was more about coverage than the protests themselves. I just saw an opening to comment on something that's been on my mind since Bush v. Gore in 2000.
# posted by 
: 11:31 AM
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