I authored a
diary earlier this week anouncing that Linfield College would follow in the footsteps of Princeton and hold a 12 hour filibuster. Well, after we cut the first shift because we couldn't find anyone to speak at that time we have done it, only for 11 hours. Just one hour short of our goal, it would have been very easy for us to take on 1 more hour, but no one would have known the difference between 11 and 12 anyway, the only thing that would have made a difference would be to still be going in the morning, we simply didn't have the speaker list to do that.
More Below the Fold
I went hoarse after my first hour speaking from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, popped cough drops the entire day to get it back for my other shifts. I stayed out in the rain most of the day with whoever happened to be speaking at the time.
It took Princeton 4 days before they recieved any media coverage, our filibuster (the first on the west coast) should recieve coverage in the next issue of the local paper the News Register. Sure it's not the Washington Post, or the New York Times, it's not Hardball or CNN's Inside Politics, but it's something, and for only 11 hours that is very respectable. I hope that our message will reach Senator Gordan Smith's office and that he votes as he should in defense of minority rights in the Senate on the nuclear option.
I thank the following individuals for their help in our efforts:
Senator Ron Wyden: For sending a statement to be read from his office.
Representative David Wu: For sending out a statement to be read
Hank Franzoni: 2004 Democratic State Senate Candidate, for coming to speak.
Dean of Faculty Marv Henberg: For agreeing at the last possible minute to speak for 30 minutes arround noon.
Hank Franzoni had an idea for the future, and one that should be considered in future on the ground actions when the far right pushes for extremist policies. Why not turn the citizen filibuster into a normal form of protest? We can filibuster social security privatization, or we could have filibustered the bankruptcy bill, the energy legislation, the Real ID act. Or even things that have already passed, such as the PATRIOT ACT. There is nothing that will get noticed like people talking nonstop arround the clock about anything. It forces people by human nature of curiosity to stop bye and ask what is going on. Princeton has uncovered what should become a presence in the future of street level activism, filibustering in protest of these measures is brilliant, and far exceeds the questionable nature of a simple political rally on the topic. Creates greater desire to participate than the silent protests such as sit ins. I see a future in this, that we may filibuster the next far right radical proposal to on our college campuses.
One last point, in regards to Princeton's Filibuster, does anybody have any idea what they're going to do if the nuclear option faces a vote tomorrow? They're showing no signs of letting up, and have a 4 day waiting list just to speak. An amazing success at Princeton, but what will they do if after tomorrow there is no longer a cause that they will filibuster for?