Portland State Magazine Spring 2010

Ju t over the past nine months, students have taken to the streets over a variety of issues: ■ On March 20, PSU students organized a march against the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. This anniversary date of the start of the Iraq War has become an annual day of protest. ■ In the same month, PSU students protested tuition hikes in a National Day of Action . The rise of tuition and fees has become a national rallying point, even spawning violent protest in California . ■ In February, PSU students took part in a march from down– town to the PSU campus calling for justice in the January 29 shooting of Aaron Campbell by the Portland police. Young, angry protesters took to the streets again on March 30 over this shooting and a police-involved shooting of a homeless man a week earlier. This demonstration resulted in property damage and arrests. ■ In December and January, students around the state con– ducted a major voter registration drive and campaign for the passage of Oregon Measures 66 and 67, which sought to raise tax revenue for-among other things-higher education. ■ In October, PSU students took part in the International Day of Climate Action rally held in downtown Portland. This recent student activism shows that there is no single overwhelming rallying point today as there was in 1970. Instead, students are making their voices heard on a broad array of issues-both local and global. Comparing the rwo eras is difficult. Yes, we have wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but American casualties are 20 percent ofwhat we experienced in Vietnam, and there is no military draft as there was in 1970. JOE UR IS '6 7, an adjunct associate professor of sociology at PSU and co-hose of a KBOO radio talk show, rook pare in che May I 970 demonstration at PSU. Uris has a firsthand view of the differences berween student activism today and campus unrest of the Vietnam era. At the rime of the 1970 PSU protest, "Young people believed social change was possible through nonviolence, that the U.S. was improvable and could be restored to a just and good nation," Uris says. "Today, I chink people are more disillu ioned about the possibility of social change-it's harder for students to believe in that now." Bue Mary Ray Moller '02, a former P U student body president, respectfully disagrees with Uris's perspective. "I do chink students today look to the passion of the '60s and '70s as omething to aspire to, but I don't think chat sense of optimism has been lose," says Moller, who is now director of Government Affairs at PSU. "I do think we're more global in our perspective now– everyone is so much more connected because of technology," Moller continues. "Bue students still do peaceful protests and demonstrations, and they still volunteer for causes they believe in. I know from my own experience char demonstrations can bring about positive change." AN OBVIOUS difference berween Vietnam-era student activists and their modern counterparts is technology-instant access to an unfiltered flow of information via the Internet and social media. Noc only has this broadened the list of issues stu– dents are aware of, it also allows a huge diversity of opinions. The phenomenon of war still inspires some of the most thought-provoking protests of all. "Different events or causes bring out different people," says Ben Cushing, PSU adjunct sociology instructor, "bur an underlying disillusionment with many of our core institutions is the common denominator I am seeing. "On the right, people are increasingly drawn coward the far– right populism of the Tea Party movement and anti-immigrant organizations," says Cushing. "On the left, and this is where I see most srudent organizing at P U, people are drawn toward organizations that critique the basic logic of capitalism and rhe lack of democratic participation in both our government institutions and our economy." This latter ideology, says Cushing, brings co mind such PSU student groups as Smdents for Unity, International Socialist Organizations, and Students Uni red for Palestinian Equal Rights. One thing char both veterans of the protest movement of the '60s and students today can agree on is the fact chat rhoughrful, well-organized demonstrations haven't lost rhe power co persuade. And just like 40 years ago, the phenom– enon of war still inspires some of the most thought-provoking protests of all. In March 2008, Moller was walking through the Park Blocks when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Flag representing Iraq War casualties were everywhere," she says. "More than 100,000 small white and red flags carpeted the gra s for blocks. Ir was incredibly moving. Ir really gor people co stop and chink. Thar's what effective protests do-they gee people co stop and chink." ■ Jeff Kuechle, a freelance writer, wrote "Maestro ofthe Stage" in the winter 2010 Portland Scare Magazine. SPRI NG 2010 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 13