# UT Protestors REALLY hard up for ideas **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 12, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576 "2003-02-12T14:58:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/1 "2003-02-12T14:58:01Z")
Here in Austin, the students at our wonderful University of Texas like to take charge and freely demonstrate their right to protest. They don’t really NEED a good reason, or have to have a strong following, they just like to protest. Typically, it comes in the form of students speaking on the West Mall, holding banners, sitting on the steps of the Tower, all that good stuff which is fine and dandy. But today…well, they’re really just phoning it in in my opinion. Students at UT are staging a protest. To show they dissapproval with the President’s push for war, students are going to “Walk out of their classes at 11:30.” Of course, classes are pretty much halfway finished by now, and the wonderful thing about college…your professor probably doesn’t even give a shit. That’s the joy of college, you get what you put in. You leave, your professor doesn’t care, because you’ll fail and it will be your fault and he still gets paid. But damnit, he’ll get the message…right? Oh, and just in case you DO agree with the President’s push for war, there’s something you can do, too. Just show your support by…staying…in…class? Kids these days. ---
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/2 "2003-02-12T15:09:15Z")
Why, this makes me so mad, I’m going to…um…Eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That’ll show 'em! ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/3 "2003-02-12T15:10:55Z")
I’m leaving this board forever! That’ll show all of you! ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/4 "2003-02-12T15:13:14Z")
If they get really pissed they can like drop out altogether and go get a job at McDonald’s or somethng. That’ll show’m. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/5 "2003-02-12T16:13:24Z")
At least it’s not “wear jeans to support \_\_\_\_” day. That one always cracked me up. It’s like “breathe if you’re a serial killer day.” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/6 "2003-02-12T16:23:02Z")
I always liked “Don’t Wear a Bra In Support of Repressed Peoples” day. Easy to tell which were the gullible women, and always lots of male support. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrot)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/7 "2003-02-12T16:30:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shodan \* > **Easy to tell which were the gullible women, and always lots of male support.** Well, they needed **some** support, didn’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/8 "2003-02-12T16:32:37Z")
Um, I am not a serial killer. Do I have to stop breathing? ---
**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/9 "2003-02-12T16:35:49Z")
How about this: at my school there was a group of students who staged a “die-in” to protest the war in Iraq in none other than a war memorial. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/10 "2003-02-12T18:13:55Z")
Uh. Of what does a ‘die-in’ consist? I’m imagining a mass suicide or something…or are they the kind of sissies who just _pretend_ to die, instead of really putting their money where their mouths are? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![booka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@booka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booka)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/11 "2003-02-12T18:17:39Z")
The problem with college kids (not all of them, but many of them) is that they’re in that in-between stage of their lives - old enough to believe that they have brains, but too young and inexperienced to actually know how to use them. Plus, it’s easy to be an idealogue when you haven’t been exposed to adult realities, and Daddy’s paying for room, board, car, and beer money at a big college. Like the guy that sings horribly in the shower, but firmly thinks he’s Pavarotti, these kids think they are capable of insight and analysis, when in fact, they aren’t. Again, there are exceptions. I wish I had been an exception when I was in college (at U.T., no less), but I wasn’t. It’s just a phase they’re in. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/12 "2003-02-12T18:38:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by particlewill \* > \*\*Um, I am not a serial killer. Do I have to stop breathing? \*\* No, but if you continue breathing everyone will think you’re a serial killer. Exactly the same problem the jeans-wearing protest has. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/13 "2003-02-12T19:22:48Z")
When I was in college there was a story that a famous math professor, Paul Halmos, used to lock the door to his classroom at the precise starting time of his class, to keep late-comers out. He forced the students to arrive on time, so as not to interrupt his lecture. Or course, those were the days when students wanted to go to class so they could learn stuff from the professor. Today, it might make more sense to lock the students in. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrot)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/14 "2003-02-12T19:27:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > \*\*Or course, those were the days when students wanted to go to class so they could learn stuff from the professor. Today, it might make more sense to lock the students in. \*\* Yeah. These kids today. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/15 "2003-02-12T19:44:51Z")
I have one much better than that: here at UT (Tennessee/Knoxville), we have protestors spray painting (which is really hard on the poor maintenance people) “War = Death” on the side sof buildings. When I saw that one, I immediately thought, “Duh! That’s the point you morons!” ---
**Author:** ![hazel-rah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@hazel-rah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hazel-rah)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/16 "2003-02-12T20:07:36Z")
> [@](#): > > They don’t really NEED a good reason, or have to have a strong following, they just like to protest. Yeah, 'cos every one of those groups that are out on the West Mall every day tabling have good reasons and strong followings. Shit, at least the ISO actually gives a shit about Socialism, instead of using it as an excuse to stand around a table on the West Mall all morning talking on cellphones and sipping expensive coffee drinks. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/17 "2003-02-12T21:11:58Z")
Yeah, that’s why there were people there protesting the people PRAYING ON THE TOWER STEPS AFTER THE TWIN TOWERS FELL!!! There are people camping out at UT, and an organization has lined up a lot of good speakers for the West Mall today…that I can respect. But, **hazel-rah** , as someone who (I assume) attends UT, you have got to admit, the second ANYTHING happens that ANYONE could have a problem with, there’s a fucking protest. There is no point to it, and it makes the protests that actually have meaning seem like another bunch of stupid followers with nothing to do with their time. That’s the thing that amazed me when I attended UT…it was supposed to be a place where everyone can be themselves, have their beliefs, and it was such an “accepting” atmosphere that one could speak their mind. The problem is, the second you speak your mind, there ends up being a fucking protest about it. In such an “accepting” place, I’ve never met so many sensitive, touchy people. And using war as an excuse to skip class is an absolutely stupid, and fucking pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/18 "2003-02-13T02:58:54Z")
At work today, my boss turned on the TV to see if the walkout had local TV coverage. It did, and we watched for a while, until we were had to get back to work. I work at one of the bookstores that serve UT, and following campus news is one of our stated duties. I generously keep my boss company in doing this, since it gives me a good excuse to read the Daily Texan every day. Presently, there are people camping in tents on campus to protest the war. I’d be more impressed if it were colder. There was today’s walkout. If people want to express their views, more power to them, but I joked that if the protesters wanted to be taken seriously, they’d skip something they actually want to do, like a concert or a movie. “You would think there would be more of an outcry about the racial tension,” my boss said. UT’s editorial pages have recently been filled with outcry over two racially charged incidents. A black student has accused UTPD of racial profiling, and a frat party had guests in blackface at a “gin ‘n’ juice” party. So far, no big campus rallies, though a couple of years ago plenty of people with bullhorns had their panties in knots because the administration didn’t go far enough in responding to National Alliance fliers. “You’d think,” I said. ---
**Author:** ![Boxcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Boxcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boxcar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/19 "2003-02-13T03:32:17Z")
**El Elvis Rojo** [OpinionJournal.com’s “Best of the Web”](http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110003035) is reporting a talk show host at KLBJ, Don Crawford, is sponsoring a pro-war demonstration. If you support the war, you should turn on your headlights from sunset to sunrise. Apparently support is overwhelming, though there has been some minor incidents: > [@](#): > > We have been informed by a few supporters of the pro-war protest of a small, but disconcerting, problem. There have been a few cases in which police have stopped people driving at night with their headlights off. Much as we disdain anti-American leftists, we still believe they have a right to express themselves. Thus we have petitioned the Austin City Council to pass a resolution instructing the police not to stop people driving with their headlights off unless there is evidence they are violating the law. What’s the Straight Dope from Austin on these pro-war demonstrations? ---
**Author:** ![ScoobyTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@ScoobyTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScoobyTX)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576/20 "2003-02-13T04:03:41Z")
Don Crawford’s show is one of those time-fillers on weekend nights that very few people listen to. His call for pro-war people to turn their headlights on gets a response from everyone who is driving- since his show is on after dark. It’s about as scientific as calls for people to wear jeans to support \_\_\_ mentioned by **gonzoron** above. People that take this too seriously are probably the same ones that skip classes to protest the cause of the week. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ut-protestors-really-hard-up-for-ideas/154576.md?page=2)