Protested, and managed not to get my butt kicked
Well, wasn't that fun.
I did the tuition protest today on Parliament Hill, along with my anti-Lower Tuition placard. Kudos go to Jarrett for the help on the Hammer'n'Sickle/CFS idea. The actual design looked pretty similar to what's here, but I'll hopefully have a pic or two up by the end of the night.
It was weird - for the first few minutes nobody really noticed me. Then an organizer started taking my picture with his camera phone and showing it to people, and then the big guy in front of me tried to block out my sign with his. That was kind of futile since I'm 6'2" and havel ong arms, plus a huge sign on a long stick. My sign stayed pretty visible throughout.
And then the interviews and the arguments started. Rapid fire, interview after interview for about 20 mintues, intermixed with recordings of me arguing and debating with people in the crowd.
One girl was actually pretty lucid, until she got to Afghanistan. I don't really get it - every person who tried to debate me kept coming back to Afghanistan, and how we should be spending the money that is going to the Aghanistan mission on education.
What? Excuse me? Come again?
It's as if students seem to think there's some magic pot of money for the war, and another one for education, and all Stephen Harper needs to do (and they are CONVINCED that it is Stephen Harper) is take money from pot A and move it to pot B. As if things are that easy.
The best part of the day was listening to the reactions of a lot of people who were listening to my interviews. As I explained why the whole notion of protesting on Parliament Hill was silly - it's a Provincial responsibility, not a Federal one - people around started saying "Hey, is that true? Why the hell are we here then?" Isn't it great to know that so many people at these rallies didn't even realise what was going on?
Embarassing, to say the least. But that tends to sum up the CFS and the things they do anyway, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.
EDIT** For anyone looking for a pics from the protest, here they are.
I did the tuition protest today on Parliament Hill, along with my anti-Lower Tuition placard. Kudos go to Jarrett for the help on the Hammer'n'Sickle/CFS idea. The actual design looked pretty similar to what's here, but I'll hopefully have a pic or two up by the end of the night.
It was weird - for the first few minutes nobody really noticed me. Then an organizer started taking my picture with his camera phone and showing it to people, and then the big guy in front of me tried to block out my sign with his. That was kind of futile since I'm 6'2" and havel ong arms, plus a huge sign on a long stick. My sign stayed pretty visible throughout.
And then the interviews and the arguments started. Rapid fire, interview after interview for about 20 mintues, intermixed with recordings of me arguing and debating with people in the crowd.
One girl was actually pretty lucid, until she got to Afghanistan. I don't really get it - every person who tried to debate me kept coming back to Afghanistan, and how we should be spending the money that is going to the Aghanistan mission on education.
What? Excuse me? Come again?
It's as if students seem to think there's some magic pot of money for the war, and another one for education, and all Stephen Harper needs to do (and they are CONVINCED that it is Stephen Harper) is take money from pot A and move it to pot B. As if things are that easy.
The best part of the day was listening to the reactions of a lot of people who were listening to my interviews. As I explained why the whole notion of protesting on Parliament Hill was silly - it's a Provincial responsibility, not a Federal one - people around started saying "Hey, is that true? Why the hell are we here then?" Isn't it great to know that so many people at these rallies didn't even realise what was going on?
Embarassing, to say the least. But that tends to sum up the CFS and the things they do anyway, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.
EDIT** For anyone looking for a pics from the protest, here they are.
posted by Siscoe at 7:42 PM
9 Comments:
Why are these fools not against immigration and people coming to take all the good jobs? Who gives a shyte what tuition is if you can't get a job?
(real conservative)
Most students think they are paying 80% or more of their education costs, they have no clue that taxpayers foot most of the bill. I put myself through university by working 2 jobs during the 4 month summer break, maybe they could try that too! In "real" money terms I paid just as much back then, as they do now.
Good job, maybe you'll make the news!!
"The best part of the day was listening to the reactions of a lot of people who were listening to my interviews. As I explained why the whole notion of protesting on Parliament Hill was silly - it's a Provincial responsibility, not a Federal one - people around started saying "Hey, is that true? Why the hell are we here then?" Isn't it great to know that so many people at these rallies didn't even realise what was going on?"
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL MAN! LOL! Thanks for the laugh!!! Posted on my blog.
@hunter
Actually, I worked two jobs during the summer months as well. I worked usually a 8 hr shift at one (9-5) and a late night shift at the other (6-10/11), and weekends at the evening job as well. I got about 70-75 hours a week. One job was at $9.50 an hour, the other at minimum wage ($7.75). All told, after the summer was over I'd cleared $5000 at one job, and $2500 at the other job...
Between school and rent/expenses (and I manage to live cheap, with three roommates, for ~$450 a month after rent and utilities), I wasn't able to pay for anything, and had to take out a hefty loan.
In "real money" terms, even accounting for inflation, tuition is much more expensive now than it was even a decade ago. Tuition that was $1100 per semester as recently as the late 90s is now sitting comfortablely at the $2500 mark.
I'm not recommending that tuition be lowered, or that the taxpayers foot the bill. But, that doesn't change the fact that simply "working more" doesn't cut it anymore. I worked my ass off, made $7500 net during the summer, and still needed an additiona $2000 to get through the year, even while keeping one of my jobs through the year. Tuition + fees + books + rent + utilities + living expenses > wages from a student/part-time job.
FREE TUITION!!
A COMMISSAR ON EVERY CAMPUS!
A UTOPIAN IN EVERY HOME!
ART STUDENTS WILL RULE THE WORLD!!
Nicely done! You made my day!
Yeah, I have friends who went to teacher's college at Brock who voted Liberal in the last federal election because the Liberals would lower tuition and give more money to teachers. Except that both of these are provincial responsibilities, I could see where they were coming from.
*sigh*
No wonder the Liberal party is the 'natural ruling party' if the ones who are supposed to be teaching our children haven't a clue on how government really works.
Universities and Colleges have always been havens young people with socialist or just utopian ideas.This used to be balanced by wiser outlooks of mature faculty and administration.
The big problem these days is that they've also become havens for a host of outright socialist asshats in the faculties and some administrations.
Hopefully you'll be able to wash off the stink of ignorance and stupidity that must have enveloped the crowd.
You are awesome. I'm glad you are willing to make the effort to counteract the buffoons.
The lower-tuition protesters sound like children, the kind of children who are always begging parents for more money without any inkling of how that money was earned.
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