Protestors

much like the ones in this video:



had a rally or whatever in early March at UCI. I was there when this was happening, walking around minding my own business. It annoyed me a lot. Before I start here I just want to say that I fully realize that this is opinion. I'm not interested in getting into a 'thing' with anyone and I largely avoid political debates. This is just something I rolled around in my head for a long time for some reason, and if anyone actually reads this and disagrees, just excuse it as the ramblings of an idiot and move on. I'm sure there were people in those protests who honestly and innocently believed in what they were protesting for. Some were tased, maced and manhandled for what was largely a harmelss protest, and while I disagree with the protest, this treatment is NOT something I support. I also realize that my views and opinions are capable of being wrong, and when it comes to the details of the tuition hike I'm largely uneducated. This is my immediate reaction having seen the protest and having a layman's understanding of the situation.
Having said that: Why on earth do college students protest stuff, but not before or after college? I have a feeling that these people wont care a bit when they're out of school and have jobs. They would not protest tuition hikes on ethical grounds that education should be affordable if they were in high school or already had careers. If they really cared about getting education to people who are too poor for it, they would be raising funds or protesting taxes for education in third world countries or American ghettos. I saw people with giant signs, and a lot of them had pots and pans and drums and were chanting stuff I couldn't hear. I thought about this a while, and I think I realized why some college students do this. It's a party.
Like many other situations in college, something roused them and for the first time they're at an age where nobody can tell them what to do. They're doing this because they were pissed off and it's fun. I just think it's unfair, when tuition fees go up, they self-righteously decide they're "not gonna take it" cause the "capitalist vultures" (actual speech quote) are trying to eat their money. Don't get me wrong. Some causes are very much worth protesting, and I don't doubt that when big issues do come along, the people protesting really do care. This just doesn't feel like the BEST time or place to invoke the very important right to protest. Yes, the point is that you're supposed to be able to use it when you deem it necessary, but for goodness sake people show some good taste. You're not the first people to have tuition rates go up and you won't be the last. If it's too expensive you have the right to choose not to pay and not subscribe to their system. Vote with your dollars as they say.
Ok between now and the last paragraph I've had some time to think (I wrote the post over days). I think I think the same now, so that's good. When I read it it sounds kinda hard-headed. But I want to clarify: what I'm saying is that in 5 years of college attendance this is the largest demonstration I've seen ever. And what was it about? Tuition increase. Not starvation, political injustice, poverty or discrimination. It's about more money spent on education by the student. Something's wrong there. That's all I'm saying