Tuesday, March 19, AD 2024 3:46am

The Great NYU Kimmel Food Court Occupation comes to a bloodless end. (Or "how NOT to spend your college tuition")

[I’m aware we have just entered into the Lenten season and should be reflecting on more serious matters, but this was too good to pass up — bear with me.]

Last week a group of “student-empowering, social-justice-minded” students and assorted ragamuffins and rabblerousers from neighboring colleges (many affiliated with TakeBackNYU) had the stunningly-brilliant idea of barricading themselves in a food court in New York University’s Kimmell Center, “in a historic effort to bring pressure on NYU for its administrative and ethical failings regarding transparency, democracy and protection of human rights.”

Charlie Eisenhood of NYU Local liveblogged the revolution — replete with hilarious commentary .

Well, I’m sorry (not really) to report that the revolution has been brutally crushed. The Weekly Standard has the details:

The courageous (if minuscule) group of students who occupied the food court in NYU’s Kimmel Center really spoke truth to power, demanding, among other things: “The establishment of a student elected Socially Responsible Finance Committee….An in depth investigation of all investments in war and genocide profiteers, as well as companies profiting from the occupation of Palestinian territories…annual scholarships for thirteen Palestinian students,” and, hilariously, “that the general public have access to Bobst Library.” And they faced the consequences. No, they weren’t gassed, tazered, beaten, shot with rubber bullets, or hauled off in chains to waiting paddywagons. But security guards did tear down their barricades and brutally inspect their NYU ID cards! And, in spite of their pre-emptive call for “full legal and disciplinary amnesty for all parties involved in the occupation,” some of them got suspended!!

Happily, one brave young man brought his camera and recorded some of the action, providing a not-to-be-missed 10 minutes of viewing.

Which can be condensed to a few snippets of dialogue:

Son, there is no ‘cooperation’ — you need to just leave.”

“Ok, um, we need to democratically decide on that. … We would like to democratically decide in a consensus area. … We need to look at the relationship here, the power hierarchy here. … We need to decide whether we’re going to cooperate with their demand. … guys, we need to talk to each other … ok, who wants to be facilitator? who can facilitate at this point?”

I’m embarrassed to say that 15 years ago, in the heady days of my college years, I would have more than likely joined in the festivities.

But, as with St. Paul,

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things

At this point, I can only wonder what the parents of the “food court liberators” might be thinking. (New York University tuition is reportedly upwards of 45k — money well spent?) .. and pray to God that my own son (two decades from now) will find more productive ways to spend his years.

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Donald R. McClarey
Admin
Thursday, February 26, AD 2009 7:28am

One expects some idiotic behavior from college students. Heaven knows that I engaged in some during my time at the University of Illinois. However these mopes were abusing the privilege.

Gerard E.
Gerard E.
Thursday, February 26, AD 2009 8:13am

Oh blessed be the Lord of Hosts. My new fave RC blog includes mention of my co-favorite story of the previous week- ranked with the unfortunate demise of Mr. Travis T. (for The) Chimp. Loads of fun to watch these spoiled underedjumacted brats perform a community theater version of 1969 Student Takeover. With modern props- cell phones, laptops, sleeping bags. Loaded with their fourth rate Marxist rhetoric. Their solidarity with the Palestinians- which I assume does not work well with the university’s loyal Jewish donors. Yet I see this pointless exercise as a valuable expose. As Mummy and Daddy are paying 48 large per year so little Johnny or Susie can stage their hissyfit in the cafeteria- We Demand Vegan Meals, of course. The whole exercise serves as a horrible failure of the university’s mission. Badly planned, horrifically executed, ended with whimper and nothing resembling bang. If their esteemed professors are experts in the art and science of thinking, their charges have been badly trained, or sleeping off last night’s buzz in 8:30 class, or lack the wherewithal to adjust to these academic requirements. Regardless- NYU exposes itself as a bigtime scam. Start to bad comedic end of demonstration.

Chris M
Chris M
Thursday, February 26, AD 2009 11:54am

Meh, you can send your kids to UF and pull a “don’t taze me, bro!” for much less $ and get a lot more airtime out of it..

Tito Edwards
Thursday, February 26, AD 2009 1:57pm

Chris M,

LM*O!

Tito Edwards
Thursday, February 26, AD 2009 2:00pm

They live in the age of Olbermann rants, Starbucks overloads, and liberal claptrap.

I can just see how Vatican III would look like with guitar strumming-non-clerical wearing priests and nuns staging a protest in Mother Teresa’s mess hall inside the Vatican. Bring in the Swiss guard telling them that they need to leave in order for the homeless and destitute can be served.

LOL

DarwinCatholic
Thursday, February 26, AD 2009 10:53pm

High-larious.

I’m glad that we have brave minds like this willing to facilitate when conformity oppresses.

Dave G
Dave G
Friday, February 27, AD 2009 6:14am

Pretty funny and a sad commentary on what the scions of the elite classes seem to believe exercising their ‘rights’ and being ‘socially responsible’ mean.

Don’t taze me bro

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