Violent Violets

Yesterday, I had business down at Greenwich Village. I did have time to take a look at the student protest at New York University.

The local CBS affiliate had a camera crew on hand. I was surprised that there wasn't more. A protest -- in this case -- students (allegedly) have barricaded themselves in a cafeteria in the student union. The visuals are great -- signs, cops, onlookers -- what more could you ask?

Yet, it had a ho-hum quality to it.

For starters, it seemed that there were more cops than onlookers. And most of New York's finest -- who could be out preventing crime -- looked bored. They were in bunches talking amongst themselves. Everyone on the scene knew one thing -- sooner or later the protestors would have to come out. Unless they're wearing a uniform, today's teenagers are unbelievably soft.

So why the protest? The usual boilerplate about a greater role in the university's operations, greater transparency (gee that word is getting a workout of late) with the budget and of course, solidarity with the Gazans.

As to the a greater role in the school's business, I thought that was the student government's responsibility. Of course, the sad truth of the matter is that student government is nothing more than a resume padder for law school wannabes and future politicos.

As for the finances, well, it's only a big tuition bill, if you pay it. Last time I checked, NYU wasn't the only college in New York City. You can always hop on a West Side train and head uptown to Columbia. (Barack Obama, with no visibile means of support, was able to pay his way there for a couple of years.)

Curiously, in the referenced news article, some students had no idea that NYU was so expensive. Obviously, these folks are so lacking in awareness, that perhaps they should start thinking about residing in an assistance living facility upon graduation. The real world will eat them alive.

As for supporting the Gazans, that's going to be a tough sell at a school that was always known as "NYJew". I think that demand is reminiscent of Alan Rickman's Hans Gruber character in Die Hard when he made a list of demands. It was made to distract the police from his real intent and was based on something he had read in Time magazine. I think the students read something on line and figured, what the heck, let's throw this into the soup as well. In business, it's known as the "throwaway demand."

Already one deadline has come and gone. No doubt the intent was to prevent NYU from paying overtime.

The likely scenario will have the protestors giving up yet claiming victory. A few days later they will be expelled or suspended.

Life will go on and the CBS camera crew will be elsewhere.

UPDATE: After 40 hours, it's over. However, rather than suspensions or expulsions, perhaps these jokers should take an expository writing course.