20240502 哥大校長的公開信
現在的世界又回到1970年代各國必須強力鎮壓左派學生的氣氛,貧富差距擴大,必須去打又打不完的戰爭,讓年輕一輩深感不滿,他們很不爽,覺得世界都是你們這群死大人搞爛的,我們年輕人才不要陪你們玩下去。
上回的歴史經驗是,如果肯在到處缺人缺工的1970年代好好幹活,累積專業經驗,未來的日子都很好過,嬰兒潮世代很多人從年輕生於憂患,到年紀大的時候死於安樂,就是這個概念。
如果執著於發洩對於現實世界的不滿,嬉皮世代懊悔的人生下半場,就是很多老人的人生痛苦經驗。在日本,當年搞出全共鬥的很多都是當時最優秀的東大學生,50年過去了,全共鬥的成員有誰真的改變世界?有個當年不夠優秀却勇敢孤身一人吐槽這群東大學生的外校生,後來真的改變世界,那是年輕的安倍晉三。
在混亂的時代沈住氣,想清楚怎麼選方向遠比急著去吐悶氣重要。哥大校長還是努力想辦畢業典禮,他的努力值得讚賞,如果不渡過這波風暴,未來哥大學生被企業抵制僱用的可能性會大幅上升,沒有成功的校友,就沒有經費充足的校友捐贈,沒落只是必然。
對我而言,中間偏左的社民黨路線已經往左走的極限,再往更左,只是跟社會與自己過不去而已。對美國整體社會而言,要想運作下去,學習1970年代的經驗進行鎮壓,可能是條不歸路。
哥大校長剛剛送出的信:
Dear members of the Columbia community,
Early Tuesday morning, tensions on our campus rose to new heights when a small group of protestors broke into Hamilton Hall, barricaded themselves inside, and occupied it throughout the day. This drastic escalation of many months of protest activity pushed the University to the brink, creating a disruptive environment for everyone and raising safety risks to an intolerable level.
I know I speak for many members of our community in saying that this turn of events has filled me with deep sadness. I am sorry we reached this point.
Over the last few months, we have been patient in tolerating unauthorized demonstrations, including the encampment. Our academic leaders spent eight days engaging over long hours in serious dialogue in good faith with protest representatives. I thank them for their tireless effort. The University offered to consider new proposals on divestment and shareholder activism, to review access to our dual degree programs and global centers, to reaffirm our commitment to free speech, and to launch educational and health programs in Gaza and the West Bank. Some other universities have achieved agreement on similar proposals. Our efforts to find a solution went into Tuesday evening, but regrettably, we were unable to come to resolution.
Because my first responsibility is safety, with the support of the University’s Trustees, I made the decision to ask the New York City Police Department to intervene to end the occupation of Hamilton Hall and dismantle the main encampment along with a new, smaller encampment. These actions were completed Tuesday night, and I thank the NYPD for their incredible professionalism and support.
I also want to thank all of the many people, including faculty, staff, and especially our public safety officers and facilities workers, for their tireless efforts on behalf of Columbia and to support our students through this difficult period.
Columbia has a long and proud tradition of protest and activism on many important issues such as the Vietnam War, civil rights, and the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. Today’s protesters are also fighting for an important cause, for the rights of Palestinians and against the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza. They have many supporters in our community and have a right to express their views and engage in peaceful protest.
But students and outside activists breaking Hamilton Hall doors, mistreating our Public Safety officers and maintenance staff, and damaging property are acts of destruction, not political speech. Many students have also felt uncomfortable and unwelcome because of the disruption and antisemitic comments made by some individuals, especially in the protests that have persistently mobilized outside our gates.
It is going to take time to heal, but .
Sincerely,
Minouche Shafik
President, Columbia University in the City of New York