Staff Editorial | Global protests provide glimpse into issues

In recent weeks, newspaper headlines and television segments have drawn attention to protests around the globe, from Paris to Los Angeles to Minsk. These protests provide an opportunity to look at what issues inspire people to take to the streets with voices of opposition.

On Monday, March 27, critics of a youth job contract in France organized a national strike after raucous student marches. The topic at hand was the youth job motion, which would allow bosses to fire workers under the age of 26 at any time and without reason during a two-year trial period. The government hoped the law would provide more opportunities andflexibility to young adults who might otherwise remain in a single job for their entire lives. France has one of the highest rates of unemployment among young people in Europe. Students came out in large numbers against it. Student leaders said that up to 600,000 students marched in cities across France and at 64 of the country’s 84 universities.

Massive student protests in Los Angeles against an illegal immigration bill have been front page news as well this week as well. Tens of thousands of students staged school walk-outs, and more than 500,000 people gathered in downtown Los Angeles on March 25.

In Belarus, thousands have stormed the streets in violent protest of the re-election of authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko. Many of these protesters were university students, risking their education (since students may face expulsion for their involvement in protest) in order to express their dissatisfaction with their government.

These protests are impressive examples of how thousands of people can mobilize around an issue that will greatly affect their lives, ultimately building a national force inspired by the desire for change. This active engagement in political and social life is one that was seen at the outset of the Iraq war, when protests of March 19, 2003 were a rallying event across the United States and the world.

The recent third anniversary of the Iraq War occurred while Vassar College students were home on break. Surprisingly, protester turnout on March 19, 2006 was feeble in comparison to other recent demonstrations. Just over 1,000 people marched in Washington D.C. and New York City. Tens of thousands on the first anniversary of the war and millions in March of 2003.

Meanwhile, President Bush’s approval rating is a mere 29%, it’s lowest yet. His poll numbers are dropping down and protesters are dropping out, a puzzling parallel of events.

This raises serveral questions: what instigates protestation in great numbers? Is the muted response to the war the result of a lack of economic consequence to average citizens? Do issues have to be either extremely immediate or local in order for us to all voice our opinions about them?

There are no easy answers to these questions and no way to predict the outcome or effect of protests. But the student opposition being depicted in news media in the last week is an important touchstone for any college community.