Day X and the University for Srategic Optimism

Yesterday, November 24th, thousands of students, teachers, academics and generally disillusioned persons - totally maybe 130,000 nationwide, according to a Guardian estimate - staged a walk-out from their places of schooling and places of work and spent hours upon hours adding their opinion in this education cuts / general cuts debate. The fact that it has come to this, where the anger has grown to an extent that the media latch on to pinpointed moments of aggression and exploit it in an attempt to undermine 'students' (the Daily Mail's curious attack on female students is the most perplexing spin I have yet to see), only makes apparent the hopeless process of debate through which fair decisions are supposed to be made.

". . . the way thatmore heads and hearts will be won in this country is by reasoned argument." says Michael Gove. But alas, that approach doesn't actually have much effect does it now. One may note the current lack of agreement in the LibDem corner of the coalition on these issues, and the shouting down of MPs who appear to have a view which runs contrary to the consensus.

Thus,

Millbank - 10th November

and,

Whitehall - 24th November

On this day, during the march police used their notorious kettling techniques to box in thousands of protesters until well into the evening, effectively removing their right to protest. But the story continued nonetheless . . .

As fifty or so policement made a bright yellow line at the Trafalgar end of Whitehall, pushing around young girls who are trying to get out the way and not allowing any access to the pub there, seemingly preparing a full-speed-ahead charge at the marauding (or subdued, freezing, boxed-in) protesters.

But they were out-flanked by an extremely well co-ordinated march heading west at pace. Chaos in the square ensued as excitement grew, amplified by a few dozen fiends on mopeds donning Guy Fawkes masks. The rapidity of this march, the elusiveness of their stategy forbade the police from getting a grasp on the situation, and, as far as I know, it came to a head next to Charing Cross station, with a tiny kettle - an evening tea-for-one, almost - and many a "LET THEM OUT" and "SHAME ON YOU" being directed at police from bystanders.

------------

Elsewhere, a few hours earlier, and with extremely good behaviour, the University for Strategic Optimism held their inaugural lecture in a LloydsTSB near Tower Bridge. Thirty-ish individuals joined the few customers already in the bank and witnessed the esteemed Dr. Etienne Lantier give the course outline for Higher Education, Neo-liberalism and the State. Only the bank manager didn't like it - too challenged by the set reading, one might assume. Within 7 minutes they were gone, off towards the growing tensions in central London.

The video is heeeeere! as is lecture notes and future plans and a healthy buzz.

http://universityforstrategicoptimism.wordpress.com/

And keep out a curious eye for future lectures in locations yet to be disclosed.