Below you will find a series of excerpts from the article and fter that you will find a few comments and observations. But one comment I will make up front. I am starting with this rally because, in spite of its size, it was ultimately a failure. I will explain my reasoning further in the next posting "Dude, where is my revolution?"
But as a result of this important failure, we began to analyze our mistakes, rethink our strategy, and get organized. We got educated, made a plan, and eventually went back to Beacon Hill. But we didn't go back with 15,000 angry protesters. We went back with maybe 20 or 30 trained, thoughtful, reflective, informed student lobbyists who dressed the part and learned the processes and the etiquette and social norms of Beacon Hill. Many of these student lobbyists by the way, worked for SCERA, which means they were either paid or received credit. (IF MEMORY SERVES - I NEED TO FACT CHECK THIS) In other words, fighting for students was their job.
And it wasn't just a one shot deal where we show up for a day, yell and scream and go home. We organized a sustained campaign - with a game plan and a message that everyone agreed to stick to. And our efforts were supported by phone calls, letters and post-cards from parents and rank-in-file students.
In short, our winning effort looked entirely different then what you are about to read about:
STUDENT PROTESTERS POUR INTO STATE HOUSE
Author(s): Anthony Flint,
Contributing Reporter Date: October 19, 1989 Page: 1 Section:
"METRO More than 10,000 students from state colleges and universities swarmed over Beacon Hill in the cold midday drizzle yesterday to protest budget cuts, and several hundred stormed into the State House, resulting in four arrests, several minor injuries and an estimated $20,000 in property damage.
"The students confronted lawmakers in their offices and protested in front of the governor's executive offices. At one point, with some 200 state and local police at the ready -- many wearing riot helmets and carrying clubs -- a crowd of students tried to push their way into the House chamber, disrupting the session and drawing a rebuke from Speaker George Keverian. One lawmaker, Rep. Jacqueline Lewis (R-Bridgewater), was knocked down as she tried to get through the crowd.
"When it was over by 5 p.m., the lawn and flowerbeds in front of the State House were trampled and strewn with litter; officials estimated that $20,000 in damage was done to doors, windows, drainpipes and landscaping. Meanwhile, downtown traffic was tied up for hours because the police had to close off sections of Beacon, Park, Boylston and Charles streets.
"The demonstration, which Capitol Police Capt. Frank Tucker said was the largest march on the State House since the days of the Kent State deaths and the Vietnam War, began peacefully."Students bused in from nearly all 29 state campuses -- from Pittsfield to Cape Cod - assembled on the steps of the Capitol, signs and banners aloft. Many had been given permission to skip classes and were encouraged to attend the rally by faculty and administrators, most notably Joseph Duffey, chancellor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
"Student leaders estimated the turnout as more than 15,000, but the police estimate was 10,000."Led by student government leaders and student trustees, and cosponsored by the State Student Association of Massachusetts, AFL-CIO, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Massachusetts Teachers Association and Service Employees International Union, the protesters walked from the State House to Boston Common just after noon.
"There, student representatives and union speakers decried recent multimillion-dollar budget cuts in higher education and proposed increases in tuition and fees. The cutbacks have resulted in canceled classes, enrollment cutbacks and staff layoffs.
"What we have is a leadership crisis," said David Varela, one of 14 speakers to address the crowd, standing on a makeshift stage flanked by stacks of speakers. "Our future has been compromised for a few dollars."
"After the speeches, with the UMass-Amherst marching band leading the way, the students paraded along Beacon Street back to the State House, where several hundred demonstrators had remained.
"They were welcomed back with cheers and chants and when they drew closer, some began to run toward the doors of the State House, trying to get in. One group pounded on the doors at the west wing entrance and broke through; other groups found other ways to get in, while most of the protesters stayed outside.
"The corridors of the normally sedate Capitol were filled with students for several hours, and Capitol Police officers equipped with walkie-talkies struggled to keep track of the crowd. One group gathered in front of Gov. Dukakis' office and sparred verbally with Robert Schwartz, the governor's education adviser. Others -- some with appointments, some not -- went into lawmakers' offices to demand an end to budget cuts.
"Be careful how you conduct yourselves," warned Paul E. Tsongas,
chairman of the Board of Regents of Higher Education and a former US senator,
who used a bullhorn to address the crowd outside.
However, Tsongas was generally supportive of the demonstration, and praised the students for showing their concern through boisterous activism. "I love this," Tsongas was heard to say as the crowds of students swarmed around the State House.
Franklyn G. Jenifer, the chancellor of higher education, also addressed the students with a bullhorn, and also was generally supportive. He asked the students to support
initiatives that would bring in new revenues."You can't leave here thinking there's a printing press downstairs, churning out money. What we need is new revenue," Jenifer said.
"Many students interviewed at the protest said they had a sense of being cheated.
"We're not getting what we were promised," said Kirsten Nottleson, 23,
a senior at UMass-Boston. "We won't pay for a budget crisis we didn't
cause," said James Linthwaite, a junior at UMass-Boston. "And we can all vote.
They should take that into consideration."
"Much of the debate was clouded, however, by the unruly behavior of some protesters, and several officials scrambled to distance themselves from a protest they initially had encouraged. I think the rally on the Common was successful," said Joseph Langis, executive director of the student association. "But we certainly don't condone that kind of destructive behavior. It was a minority of students that acted up and got overzealous. We think it's wrong and it has probably hurt the cause."
Jenifer said he "certainly does not condone the destruction of state property."
Keverian called the students' behavior "disgraceful." Dukakis said he supported the students but was "not pleased" with the rough behavior.
"Col. William McAuliffe of the State Police, which sent in troopers from several barracks, said that the situation "got a little dicey" when the students tried to storm the House chambers but that "we don't think it ever really got out of hand."
"Arrested were Richard L. Page, 24, Jonathan Leavitt, 22, and Geoffrey B. Feldman, 27, all on charges of disorderly conduct; and Michael Currier, 23, on charges of assault. Police said they are all UMass-Amherst students.
"Officers from the State Police, the Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police and the special operations division of the Boston Police Department were on hand for the protest.
A few comments on this article/event:
1. You will notice that nearly the entire power structure of the higher ed system was involved in organizing and promoting this event (from the Chancellor of Higher Ed, down to the campus Chancellors. to the unions, to the SGA Presidents and Trustees). That was the critical factor that created the massive turnout.
2. Unfortunately, the rally had little if any long term positive effect. In spite of the best (and most noble) efforts of the Student Trustees to build an effective event and message, the crowd was too large, unfocused, and untrained in the ways of Beacon Hill. The other thing is we were pissed off. Many of us weren't there to negotiate or make nice with state reps and senators. We were there to let them know that we were angry. We were "unorganized" in the sense that we had not all been part of a planned message and strategy.
3. Because we were there to protest, and not necessarily lobby - some of us thought that we needed to take the protesting to another level. There was one group of students who succeeded in getting themselves arrested, though I can't remember specifically what for. Then there was another group who thought it would be a good idea to storm the House floor and stage a sit-in. Neither of these tactics worked or were appropriate for the circumstances. And they only added fuel to the already hostile and negative press.
4. Sometimes, no matter how strong your legislative game is - if the circumstances are lined up against you - there is little you can do stop a budget crisis.
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