None of the Kimmel 18 will face ongoing suspensions or expulsion*. The only long term punishment is probation for the rest of the year, during which time they cannot take leadership positions in campus activities, along with several other probationary limitations. Good thing TBNYU! “doesn’t have leaders!” As for the big stuff though, they are each slated to return to housing on Friday and class on Monday without further punishment.
Hardly the loud slam of the gavel we were all expecting, it will be interesting to see how this affects TBNYU!’s initiatives Quality of life download. The University clearly chose the martyrdom-prevention route and, as it did when it allowed students to use the bathroom, has taken a certain amount of weight out from underneath the group’s legs.
In the long run, this may hurt TBNYU!’s drive. When your university blows you off and doesn’t provide any kind of punishment for what has been declared an $80,000 event, it doesn’t provide a strong foil for your own group’s radicalism. Now, if they had expelled all of the 18 students (as our readers overwhelmingly supported), the majority of the campus would have surely been up in arms over the punishment. However, this decision on the part of the administration means that the event has blown over as quickly as it appeared. Case closed.
*Initially said that they had been cleared of charges, would not face ongoing suspension. Changed for clarity’s sake.
Photo by Mickey Lewitter
[...] night update: NYU Local is reporting that all of the TBNYU suspensions will be lifted on Friday. We’ll keep an eye out for confirmation. Possibly related posts: (automatically [...]
Again NYU local is faulty with their reporting…just throwing things up there try to be first, even though WSN broke the story four hours ago. (http://nyunews.com/news/university/at_least_3_of_kimmel_18_offered_suspensions_through_friday-1.1573622) The students received their letters today which allows them to make a decision up until Friday at noon. It is not yet a given that they will accept to the terms, that NYU local is implying. *scoff*
I think you might be misinterpreting this… seems to me that they’re being held responsible, not being acquitted. They were suspended for a week.
Yes. I held that sign.
@Eric
Just to clarify: The deal you are talking about is the one to three of the Kimmel 18 earlier. It is not the final decision. is the final decision in regards to their punishments.
@ David
Again – this is the most recent information that has not yet been printed by WSN, and has been declared by TBNYU!’s perfunctory officers as the final decision for the group.
If this is not the case, we have yet to hear from TBNYU! anything to suggest otherwise.
In addition, your partial analysis of NYULocal’s coverage of recent events stands in exact contrast to what was stated by the NYTimes, NYMag, Gawker, Gothamist, and The American Spectator.
Hahaha. *scoff*
@ Justin Saunders:
You’re my hero. <3
*Sanders.
I meant Sanders, damn it.
[...] Looks like the TBNYU! kids will be getting off relatively light. [...]
As much as I was for a much harsher sentence, I think this kills a part of their argument about NYU being this big fascist regime seeking to oppress the students. I’d say their occupation was still a total failure because it’s not like their amnesty was gained by pressure from TBNYU! (and honestly, I don’t think that the letter from the 200 professors really did anything in the long run either). It seems like it was done to eliminate a PR victory. Count your lucky stars TBNYU! and for the love of god just go away.
Want something tangible to protest? How about this:
Barack wants – and will get – nearly 800 billion to spend on our military and the war. For one fiscal year. My god. What a great changemaker! Thank you America.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/26/war.spending/index.html
This article came out today.
If we only could have had someone like Ron Paul, Kucinich or Nader as president, we could truly change this war-run government, re-construct one that works in the interests of the people and focus on issues that matter, thus breaking away from corporate/war/banking controlled policies.
TBNYU should change their name to Take Back Washington. That’s where the problem resides, that’s where their anger should be centered.
@Jay: Chill the hell out. Is it really surprising that Obama can’t end the war in Afghanistam unilaterally? I’m as liberal as the next guy, but if you expected Obama to end ALL WAR within two years, the problem’s with you, not Obama.
@marcus
president obama billed himself as a man of reason, sensibility, good will and diplomacy. what is our need to have 60,000 troops and hundreds of billions of dollars invested into bombing afghani civilians? it’s happening. he is actively engaged in expanding military operations in that country, and it’s under the radar/being supported by MSM (main stream media) right now as though it’s business as usual. they accept it as gospel, it must be valid, right? haven’t we learned from iraq?
maybe that’s why you are convinced it’s nothing to be alarmed about, because media is telling us its ok. who owns national media? …zzzz…zzzz…
do you hear barack on tv apologizing or saying a peep about drone planes blowing children to shreds?
no.
but it’s still happening.
i have 6 family/friends actively between iraq and afghanistan right now and recently. half of them have woken up, the other half are just doing what they are told because they’re getting a free education from their service. a couple are considering sticking their guns in the sand and heading home because they do not believe that congress is acting on the behalf of its citizenry, and they are confused as to why american people don’t take an active interest in the iraqi civilian body count (600,000 plus according to John Hopkins U), 4,500 dead us soldiers, the cost of these false wars, etc.
why the apathy to pity the current president when his predecessor made the call to put our men in harms way based on lies, intelligence manipulation to suit a pre-arranged conflict (it’s a fact, no debate here)? the onus is on your shoulders, Marcus, to defend the existence of these wars beyond 2009. as easy as we came, we can leave. anyone telling you anything different a) has either a stake in the finances of the war effort, b) is overly trusting of a disingenious gov’t and/or c) has not done their homework as the history of wars. They are all not in the public interest, though they convince us otherwise through inteligence and media manipulation that the average citizen won’t believe is possible.
the problem is with Jay? a guy who wants to not see people killed for no legitimate reason? someone who wants wars not be waged upon unwilling nations? who are you? how old are you? the president is the COMMANDER in CHIEF of the US Army. Bush brought us to these wars based on lies, we need to wrap it up and apologize for the damage we have done and focus on our country, not focus on some CIA operative trained, financed and let lose by the US (OBL), who we are bull-shittingly chasing in the name of the “War on Terror.” It’s a lie, Marcus, and you are still buying it to some extent, apparently.
but for those who buy the terrorism cool aid that has been pumped down our throats the past 8 years, than it’s not jay that needs to chill out, it’s the kool aid drinkers who need to break free from the chains of the liberal/conservative false argument (both support US imperialism overseas) and focus on humanity as a nation and where our money is being spent.
when will people stand up for what is right? it’s that simple. how much will we take of these unnecessary wars? Time will tell what Barack can do to change policy, but I’m cautiously hopeful and weary based on my knowledge of the US military machine:
here’s one decent article you won’t find on cnn.com. sorry jay, this one’s better:
http://www.projectcensored.org/articles/story/http-wwwprojectcensoredorg-articles-story-barack-obama-administration-c/
NYU 18 back in class! Semi-victory!!!
@marcus.
Are you serious? Obama just said to the nation two nights ago in his address he plans on getting things going in Afghanistan, and it’s known he is proposing a force of 60,000 their in months to come, and it has been leaked that B.O. plans on keeping 50,000 troops in Iraq for years to come (giving Barack the benefit of the doubt of draw-down talk these days). Hmm…do the math…and that’s about the same level of troops in that region that is there now. That’s not change, esp. since the US war chest keeps getting larger and larger.
Everyone knows the war on terror is all BS. Does anyone believe what Wolf Blitzer or those lame terrorist experts like Pete Bergen have to say on CNN?
At the end of the day, the president does not dictate all military decisions. If people can’t realize that now, they will (hopefully). The bankers and military pull the presidential strings, and they’ve run it into the ground. GW-convenient he was so dumb. That guy can’t be evil! He’s just not bright!
Obama…our savior. Trust him! Anything is better than Bush!
See a pattern here? They’re just serving the bankers and military. Time will convince me otherwise, but that’s what the rest of the world knows to be true, we’re just blinded to our own reality in this country, be it a result of laziness or an unwillingness to face the unpleasant truth that our leaders are not looking out for us but corporate interests. Jay has a right to be mad.
The lesser of two evils is not a true democracy, and that is what the US election process is. It needs to be changed. Question is – how to change it. How to get more viable, anti war candidates on the national stage where corporations can’t dictate their removal from the important, later debates.
Granted Mr. Thompson is taking a hard line approach, but after 8 years of lies, admitted and mandated torture approved by our highest office, zero fiscal/military accountability from the presidency and war propaganda handed down from GW and Cheney, isn’t it up to us as citizens to hold our leaders accountable for actions which kill civilians abroad? Regardless how badly we wanted the past 8 years swept under the rug? Regardless how suave a speaker we think our new president is? The proof is in the pudding, and I’m watching this administration, which most lot of the same faces around it as previous admins, like a hawk. And I have a right to. Everyone should.
last sentence correction..which “has a lot”…
sorry
This is something out of Monty Python. “Our first demand is that we be granted full amnesty. Our second demand is that NYU grant our first demand. Our third demand is THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEMAND! Our fourth demand…” They are nothing but a bunch of kids who want to be heroes without doing anything heroic. How lame can you get?
In the country they would like to change America into, the cops would have thrown them off the side of the building. At least that’s how they did it in the Soviet Union. And that’s what these douchebags want us to be more like.
Jesus, people. Want to suck Paul/Nader/(insert “hero” here)’s dick and get it over with?