800 years of Support for Nonviolent Discourse in Academia

UC-Berkley Administrators:

I am in support of Students for Justice in Palestine at UC Berkeley,
justiceinpalestine [at] hotmail.com, due their courage in non-violent direct democracy.

As a citizen and former public employee nearing his 40's, I have restored faith
that democracy is revived because of actions like these. Please support all 7
talking points requested by SJP as servents of the people of California, USA, democracy,
and free thought and intellectual expression.

Beyond the anti-war activist era
professors presently serving the highest ideals of academia, there must also be an
end to in-parentis consumerism and citizenship at public educational institutions
in exchange for full citizenship at the legal age in union with direct democracy
principles. My request of support for the 70 plus students that took over Wheeler
Hall by non-violent sit-in, originates not by in-parentis slopist hypocracy of
former 1960's university administrations, but true practice of ideals and
intellectual freedom that strengthens America's democracy such as this action. We
know as free thinkers that democra cy is vital only through 'direct' participation
of common citizens as promoted by Green Party USA's 10 key values and plateform.

Please lead your university with these inherient ideals that have steeped academia
for 800 years and that have provided shelter for citizen academics, not adult
children, since 1200's A.D. circa.


TALKING POINTS
1) Students should not face charges or suspension for participating in
non-violent civil disobedience.
2) Activists should be allowed, freely, to speak and protest on campus
without harassment from the University or its officers.
3) Pro-Palestinian groups are unfairly targeted for higher sanctions, a
reflection of the bias in the way that the administration hands out
sanctions.
4) Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) is a non-violent organization
that promotes education and activism and should be allowed to organize on
campus.
5) Student activists fought for the right to organize on this campus in the
1960s and should be allowed to continue to organize.
6) The University of California should divest from all its holdings in
Israel and the Israeli military.
7) Sit-ins and protests are not opposed to the academic mission of the
University of California, in fact, they enhance the education received at
Berkeley.

Sincerely,
Bruce C. Lupfer