How do we get the transcripts of the speeches given? I would like to include some of the statements in a newsletter I edit for a local progressive political organization, and would use more as course material this coming semester. I'm sure others would also like to know how to find them. Can you help? On Fri, 21 Jul 1995, Nathan Newman wrote: > > This is going to be a reflection on yesterday's events, not so much a > report--those will follow from a number of sources I hope. > > Yesteday's events were not a loss, because a new movement took shape > yesterday. The results were not a surprise--the main surprise was that > so many REPUBLICAN Regents sided with affirmative action. > > Testimony in favor of affirmative action lasted for hours yesterday. One > thing was clear and made everyone watching the proceedings blood stir: > our folks were not only right, they were brilliant and empassioned and > the Left found a new voice of freedom in this struggle. From Eva > Patterson of the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights to Dolores Huerta of > the Farm Workers to a whole range of UC students and > administrators--there voices and arguments were inspired. And then there > was Jesse Jackson. Even veterans of his speeches agreed that this speech > was probably the greatest they had ever heard him give. From an opening > prayer to biblical parables to political analysis, he tied the arguments > for affirmative action together with passion and analysis. If Jackson is > serious in rebuilding the Rainbow Coalition as a serious political > organization, his words and leadership yesterday reignited the loyalty or > a lot of folks, young and old. > > Thousands of students and community supporters attended this meeting in > the remote corner of San Francisco at the UC-SF Laurel Heights campus. > That this was summer, a work day and people mostly arrived before 9am in > the morning marks the energy behind this protest. But they came, in > waves upon waves. Regents dismissed the defenders of affirmative action > as "tribalists"; maybe so, but this tribe was a multi-racial tribe that > marched and organized together for a common goal. Maybe that's what the > Regent fear--they don't want a unified tribe; they want an elite set of > individuals sitting on top of a black-brown mass of imprisoned individuals. > Turning our society into a unified tribe across race lines and ending > institutionalized racism is the last thing they could desire. > > Only a small contingent of students and community supporters were allowed > in the actual chamber where the Regents met. Most rallied outside or > watched the proceedings on large screens in rooms provided. A bomb > threat at one point forced the Regents outside on a balcony and a march > of the protesters gave them a tast of what they were missing. And when > the first vote occured, the students and community members inside the > chamber rose and protested so strongly, they forced the Regents out of > their room and force them to reconvene elsewhere to finish their votes. > This was followed by a march and sit-ins. > > These were good actions but we need to escalate and not just on > campuses--for the Regents don't care if education is disrupted. If they > did, they wouldn't be making the decisions they do. They are almost all > wealthy people with corporate offices that can be protested at and > companies that can be boycotted. > > Immediate actions will follow but the biggest actions are planned > starting on October 12 where campuses across the state have already > agreed to lead actions in defense of affirmative action. > > --Nathan Newman, Committees of Correspondence > > > > > >
