The New School In Exile

Check out the new missive What We Want here.

What We Want: A Proposed Beginning

Over and over—sometimes in accusatory tones—the radical movement at the New School has been asked to explain itself: why are we protesting? After eight years of soft fascism and bloody war, then an unprecedented economic disaster following on Wall Street shenanigans—all aided and abetted by the president of the New School—one has to wonder about the motivations of the questioners. Isn’t the more reasonable question why isn’t everyone protesting?

In addition, many of us have been wary of presenting any demands, as this concedes power to the enemy, providing him with an opportunity to recuperate and sterilize the movement, reducing it to meaningless negotiations over paltry reforms.

We’re willing to recognize that these questions can be posed in good faith, however, and that we do have a responsibility to account for our actions. It also seems that in present conditions the only way for the movement to go forward is to provide tangible points of struggle, and open up a wider discussion among students, faculty, and staff, about our problems and needs...

• Posted by: alvinjohnson
• Topic: Letters and Statements

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