1. What is the story of your place, building, public space, natural feature, public art work, or other aspect of the physical UC Berkeley campus and its intersecting feature?
Sather Gate has been a space for individuals to speak and acknowledge situations that are going on in the world. Due to many people who tend to go through the gate in order to reach their destination, Sather Gate has become a place where protests occur to get people’s attention.
(1st primary source) – A Youtube video filmed by Karen Lin and edited by Matthew Campell, showed a protest about police brutality. Within the protest, people took the time to explain how others were reacting to it. Sierra Barton states “most of the people honestly do understand that the idea behind the blockade is to disrupt business as usual and that’s why it’s an inconvenience. It’s purposely doing so in order to really kind of convince people to recognize the inconvenience that black youth and people of color face on a daily basis”(Lin, 2015). Many people who walked by on campus did not seem to respect others’ voices that wanted to be heard. People were trying to push through those who were linked up to block off the gate because they wanted to pass by. Individuals were willing to become violent towards protestors because they were not getting what they wanted. Another interviewee, Gabrielle Shuman comments “They’re literally doing what we’re talking about in trying to jump over us and ignoring us and saying look, I’m gonna try to kick somebody, I’m gonna try to punch somebody”(Lin, 2015). Even though UC Berkeley is known for being the number one public university that lets others speak freely, not everyone in this university obeys that rule. This protest has shown me that people need to show more respect towards others whether their opinion should be supported or not.
(2nd primary source) – A newspaper article by Tommy Nguyen protested for freedom of speech. Protesting has become a huge way of having people express how they feel with topics that affect others in a negative way. Even though there are people who are expressing their opinions, some communities do not appreciate students’ freedom of speech because they may disagree with them. The newspaper article states “At the beginning of the school year in 1964 when, at the height of the civil rights era, the university banned political advocacy of off-campus social issues on school property, both liberal and conservative student groups joined forces, calling themselves the United Front”(Nguyen, 2). The protests could go one of two ways: either violent or peaceful based on the topic that is being discussed or the people who are standing by it.
(3rd primary source) – A research article by Abraham H. Miller discusses a strip of land that is being fought for which is now known as “People’s Park”. People fought against police officers for days to own the land. This relates to Sather Gate because it is important to know all of the fights that are being addressed whether it is a protest or a place to ‘own’. The research article states “Campus disturbances were generally followed by tough police enforcement on the avenue, and the politicos were bluntly told to keep their activities confined to the other side of Sather Gate”(Miller, 440). Open land should be open towards anyone just like freedom of speech because people all have the right to be where they want and say what they want, despite the limitations of freedom of speech. Even though there can be disagreements with actions, words, or places, people should have the equality to still do what they want and need no matter what others say about it.
Footnotes: Jensen, "Social Controversy and Public Address in the 1960s and Early 1970s A Rhetorical History of the United States", Vol. IX Lin, "Students Block Sather Gate to Protest Police Brutality, Express Campus Climate Concerns" Miller, “People's Park: Dimensions of a Campus Confrontation.” Nguyen, “After the Revolution, The Commemoration; At Berkeley, The Free Speech Movement of 1964 Is Saluted With Free Speeches" Rhoads, "Student Activism, Diversity, and the Struggle for a Just Society" Ricks, “Notes from the Blackout.”