Students Disrupt UC Regents Meeting Over Nuke Plans

BREAKING: This morning, as the University of California Board of Regents assembled to meet, dozens of student activists stood up in the meeting hall to protest UC's participation in nuclear weapons development and testing. The police were called and ordered the students out, and most students complied. Shouting "UC, nuclear free," the remaining protesters had to be physically dragged from the hall by police. Among the protesters were several of the hunger strikers FSP reported on previously. Get more info from the students themselves here. From the Contra Costa Times:

Regent Norm Pattiz, who leads the board's committee on the national laboratories, later told reporters he sympathized with the demonstrators, but he said he believes the university's involvement allows more open debate of nuclear weapons issues.

Really, Norm. Do tell! By that token, should UC devote time, resources, and personnel to the Guantanamo Bay internment camps to allow "more open debate" around terrorism and civil liberties issues? Should UC build a massive fence along the southern California border to allow "more open debate" around immigration issues? No, Norm. This move isn't about debate: greasing the wheels of nuclear apocalypse is about the University throwing itself firmly in the pro-nuke camp. That's a decision faculty, students and staff should make, not the appointed rich. To paraphrase Howard Zinn, you can't be neutral on a falling nuke.