Berkeley Cowers from Campus Violence

 

Do you remember hearing last year about the special door for the Berkeley university chancellor’s office that was built to protect him and his staff from potentially dangerous protestors? You probably didn’t. But the Wall Street Journal “outed” them last week. According to the WSJ,

In a proposal requesting funding for the $9,000 security door, the chancellor’s office detailed the risk of ‘vandalism & malicious mischief’ and a ‘high . . . level of probability of future loss or injury if [the] condition is not addressed.’ The proposal noted that protesters had ‘rushed the building and attempted to occupy’ the chancellor’s office in April 2015. ‘Staff people pushed to close the office doors while protestors pushed them open.’

I read this piece and just shook my head. The ineffectual administrators and professors, instead of dealing with the violence head-on, will be cowering behind a security door when the violent protestors pay them a visit.

By the way, the university also installed a $700,000 security fence around the home of Chancellor Nicolas Dirks.

It’s too bad that the administration didn’t take notes when Ronald Reagan spoke out against campus violence when he ran for governor in 1964. The Federalist quoted Reagan:

[D]o we no longer think it necessary to teach self-respect, self-discipline, and respect for law and order? Will we allow a great university to be brought to its knees by a noisy dissident minority? Will we meet their neurotic vulgarities with vacillation and weakness? Or will we tell those entrusted with administering the university we expect them to enforce a code based on decency, common sense, and dedication to the high and noble purpose of that university?

In 1969, Ronald Reagan was governor. A plot of land was being used for Vietnam War protests at Berkeley. The university wanted to develop the land and tried to put up a fence around the plot. A protest rally was called, and a riot ensued. Reagan called in the Berkeley police and the California Highway Patrol. Again, The Federalist—

A campus publication tells what happened next: ‘[T]hree students suffered punctured lungs, another a shattered leg, 13 people were hospitalized with shotgun wounds, and one police officer was stabbed. James Rector, who was watching the riot from a rooftop, was shot by police gunfire; he died four days later.’

As a result, Reagan called a state of emergency and brought in 2,200 National Guard troops, restoring order. When Reagan was criticized for not negotiating, he responded:

‘Negotiate? What is to negotiate? All of it began the first time some of you who know better and are old enough to know better let young people think that they have the right to choose the laws they would obey as long as they were doing it in the name of social protest.’ To underscore the point, Reagan got up and walked out of the room.

It seems that Berkeley did not learn from Reagan’s example. Instead of facing future violence with resolve, they are now cowering behind fences and doors. The lessons from Berkeley have been reinforced by the disaster in Charlottesville. We need to stop pointing fingers, making up excuses and wringing our hands. It’s time to step up and follow Reagan’s example in every city in America, since any of them are subject to the anarchy and violence of the Left and their cohorts, as well as those who purport to be on the Right:

  • Citizens, students, out-of-town anarchists all need to be told that violence will not be tolerated by anyone at any time.
  • All demonstrators will be informed by their organizers that they are all responsible for their participation; if they are caught up in a violent protest, they should immediately leave the area.
  • Anyone who violates the law will be subject to police action and arrest, and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
  • All cities of a certain size will be responsible for requiring training of law enforcement to handle large crowds and potential violence.
  • Any city, county or state official who orders a police or sheriff’s department to stand down will be subject to civil and/or criminal lawsuits.

I don’t know how we enforce this policy. I don’t care how the President condemns these acts after the fact. I don’t care which groups participated, Left or Right. I don’t care what these groups stand for. It’s time to hold to the rule of law and hold people accountable.

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  1. Trink Coolidge
    Trink
    @Trink

    Susan Quinn: I read this piece and just shook my head

    Same here, Susan.  Same here.

    Susan Quinn: It’s time to hold to the rule of law and hold people accountable.

    Amen!

    • #1
  2. ctlaw Coolidge
    ctlaw
    @ctlaw

    I’ll split the difference: no $9000 security door, but $4500 in anti-personnel mines.

    • #2
  3. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    ctlaw (View Comment):
    I’ll split the difference: no $9000 security door, but $4500 in anti-personnel mines.

    Where were you when they needed you, ctlaw??

    • #3
  4. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    BTW, on my comment at the end saying “I don’t know how to enforce this policy,” I have a great idea. At least some  citizens want the violence to stop. Every city that wants to empower law enforcement needs just one person to stir things up, to organize a small group that holds the mayor accountable for law enforcement training. Pester him and the City Council at every meeting, saying that the citizens need to be protected–it’s the law. I’ll bet, since it’s all politics, that if enough people stood up and insisted that the police have to be told to do their job, they could turn things around.

    • #4
  5. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Enforce the peace and back the police.

    • #5
  6. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):
    Enforce the peace and back the police.

    We should make that our motto! Well said!

    • #6
  7. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    After listening to Jordan Peterson on post-modernism, I think it’s too late — particularly on college campuses. We don’t have the rule of law (thanks, Obama!) — we have the rule of power. This is all the post-modernist claptrap about oppressed and oppressors. It’s why even the very anti-PC Trump will not explicitly call out anti-fa and BLM. They’re the Left’s favored (for the time being) oppressed minority groups. All the pieces on this game board are movable so long as they advance the post-modernist progressive cause. We’re doomed.

    Have a nice day. :-)

    • #7
  8. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):
    After listening to Jordan Peterson on post-modernism, I think it’s too late — particularly on college campuses.

    Maybe so, WC. Then the cities, counties and states will have to step up. At some point they might decide that they’re sick of having riots and demonstrations and demand that law enforcement step up. If they don’t, you’re right; we are doomed.

    • #8
  9. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):
    Enforce the peace and back the police.

    We should make that our motto! Well said!

    It even rhymes

    • #9
  10. Ansonia Member
    Ansonia
    @Ansonia

    While watching and reading the news these past few days, the most disturbing moment for me was last night when, on NBC, I watched and heard a young, heavy set blonde woman, looking bewildered and thoughtful, hesitantly saying something like “We’ve struggled against these fascist thoughts for 200 years….” Did anyone else see this?

    Fascist thoughts ? This overgrown girl thinks it’s people’s bad thoughts, and their non-violent expression of thoughts, that we need to control in order to prevent these riots and this killing ? She thinks, perhaps, the lawlessness and violence of Anti-fa and BLM can be ignored because they have, in her view, better thoughts than Unite the Right ?

    • #10
  11. Unsk Member
    Unsk
    @Unsk

    Here! Here! Susan!

    A very good piece.

    The only way to restore civility is restore law and order and the respect for our Constitutional rights.

     

    BTW,  it appears that Jeff Sessions  has found something finally to investigate – the “hatred” at Charlottesville.

     

    Hmmm.  Maybe in the end he will do the right thing, but the early indications   given the tone of his comments are not good.  No mention of Antifa, BLM  or any left wing group violating people’s rights – only the racist Neo-Nazi protesters and of course the murderer who cannot be condemned enough.

    It’s funny Jeff got right on this one, but has left everything criminal the Left has done go untouched.  Perhaps, Jeff  Sessions was just a McConnell Deep State plant all along.

    • #11
  12. Ansonia Member
    Ansonia
    @Ansonia

    Re comment 11

    Speaking of plants, is there any truth to the story in the Gateway Pundit (August 14, 2017) that the white supremacist leader in Charlottesville, Jason Kessler, was an Obama supporter and an Occupy Wall Street protester ?

    • #12
  13. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Unsk (View Comment):
    It’s funny Jeff got right on this one, but has left everything criminal the Left has done go untouched. Perhaps, Jeff Sessions was just a McConnell Deep State plant all along.

    I hope not. I’m counting on Sessions to finally bring justice regarding all the violations of law that the Left committed. And I hope he gets his head clear about what to do in Charlottesville; if he leaves the Left alone, I will be angry!

    • #13
  14. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Ansonia (View Comment):
    Re comment 11

    Speaking of plants, is there any truth to the story in the Gateway Pundit (August 14, 2017) that the white supremacist leader in Charlottesville, Jason Kessler, was an Obama supporter and an Occupy Wall Street protester ?

    I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised. At heart, these people are anarchists, and I don’t think they care whose banners they carry. Just destroy everything and everyone in sight!

    • #14
  15. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Ansonia (View Comment):
    Re comment 11

    Speaking of plants, is there any truth to the story in the Gateway Pundit (August 14, 2017) that the white supremacist leader in Charlottesville, Jason Kessler, was an Obama supporter and an Occupy Wall Street protester ?

    I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised. At heart, these people are anarchists, and I don’t think they care whose banners they carry. Just destroy everything and everyone in sight!

    Oh, I don’t think so. I think they’re collectivists. They wish to aggregate power to their tribe, and they’re willing to use violence to do it. In this way, the neo-Nazi right and the BLM left are not so different…

    EDIT: In fact, I would say the label “right” for the neo-Nazis should be disputed based on this fact. The right is characterized by seeking the common good through protection of the individual’s (natural) rights. The left is always in search of aggregating power — either in government or within special interest groups.

    • #15
  16. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):
    Oh, I don’t think so. I think they’re collectivists. They wish to aggregate power to their tribe, and they’re willing to use violence to do it. In this way, the neo-Nazi right and the BLM left are not so different…

    You know, I think it’s a mix, WC. I think that some people come in just to stir things up and aren’t ideological; they just want to break things. The ones who organize are the ideologues who funnel the Soros money to the destroyers, some of whom would do it for nothing. But I guess we have no way of proving any of this. I agree with your comments about the neo-Nazis and BLMs and their related groups.

    • #16
  17. Anuschka Inactive
    Anuschka
    @Anuschka

     remember hearing last year about the special door for the Berkeley university chancellor’s office?

    Actually, I had heard about it before… this time last year. Funny that the WSJ is bringing it up now.

    The Daily Californian

    July 29, 2016

    Campus builds escape hatch for Dirks’ office in California Hall

    http://www.dailycal.org/2016/07/29/campus-builds-escape-hatch-for-dirks-office-in-california-hall/

    It will be interesting to see how Carol Christ, the new Chancellor, deals with events in the future. Here’s a comment from her message to the campus community today about Charlottesville.

    As many of you already know, planning is now underway for potentially controversial events on our campus this fall. Paired with our commitment to the First Amendment is an equally firm commitment to the safety of the members of our campus community and their guests. We believe deeply in the value and importance of non-violence, and we will make every effort to deter, remove, or apprehend those who seek to cause harm to others, as well as to provide the resources, support and guidance that can help make events on our campus safe and successful.

     

     

     

    • #17
  18. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Anuschka (View Comment):
    It will be interesting to see how Carol Christ, the new Chancellor, deals with events in the future. Here’s a comment from her message to the campus community today about Charlottesville.

    Thanks so much, Anuschka. I’ll try to see how well she does; I certainly wish her success. If activities go well, Berkeley could set an example for universities all over the country. That said, I’m not very optimistic.

    • #18
  19. Anuschka Inactive
    Anuschka
    @Anuschka

     If activities go well, Berkeley could set an example for universities all over the country.

    Knowing Berkeley, events will not go well. After Charlottesville, antifa and the other left-wing groups will be ready for a fight. We’ll have to see what happens when Ben Shapiro comes to campus in September and when Milo returns for his rally later in the year. I just hope that the campus administration and the UCPD handle the situation better than they did for the last Milo event.

    • #19
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