Northbay Uprising - Information for the liberated zones of the San Pablo Bay

"San Francisco Chronicle" is showing a sustained commitment to continue publishing attack letters by the same writers against the Civil-Rights movement, and publishing these slanderous letters as part of their editorial policy... the following letters are by people who are either millionaires from "rich ghettos" in the Bay Area, are from out-of-state, or who have a hand in the disaster which people are protesting [or all three]:


Letters to the editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, published as per editorial policy 2011-12-13:
[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/12/EDLQ1MBGIB.DTL]
"Free speech? In Berkeley?" letter by Jim Cervantes of Orinda:
Free speech cannot exist when people feel entitled to stifle the voice of speakers they oppose. ("Hecklers shout down chancellor," Dec. 9).
 How ironic that UC Berkeley, which brought us the birth of the Free Speech Movement, also brings us its end.

"First priority: UC Berkeley" by Arnold Silverman, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the UC Berkeley Foundation:
I feel compelled to express disappointment that a small group of protesters did not allow Chancellor Robert Birgeneau to speak at a student meeting to which he had been invited, about issues that were important for students to hear.
 Those who shouted him down apparently do not recognize that free speech is valid only when it extends to all sides. Birgeneau and his administration have done an extraordinary job during the most challenging period in the university's history.
 In the eight years since Birgeneau became chancellor, state funding has dropped some 35 percent, which means the campus receives about 10 percent of its funding from the state. Yet the chancellor has continued to sustain Berkeley's standing as the world's greatest public university.
 It is time for all of us to stand with Chancellor Birgeneau and work together. We do not have to agree on every issue, and in fact we will not, but we must have civil discussion and always put UC Berkeley first and foremost above any personal agendas to ensure that the future of UC Berkeley will be equal or better than its past.

"In support of the chancellor" by Edward Farhi of Brookline, Massachussetts:
I read with dismay the article about the chancellor of UC Berkeley, Bob Birgeneau, and his treatment by the students and faculty of Berkeley.
 I have known Birgeneau since his time at MIT, where I work as a professor. I have followed his career as a university president and now chancellor. He is committed to social justice and not afraid to take a stand on the issues. His heart is always with the needy, and he has worked tirelessly to fairly spread the painful cuts at UC Berkeley, which are imposed by the state of California. He has succeeded in bringing in other sources of funding to offset the cuts.
 The professors and students at Berkeley should stand behind him, since he works on their behalf. It was disheartening to see how quickly some members of the Berkeley community were willing to condemn him for things that were clearly beyond his control.
 There is no perfect way to deal with a protest. The Berkeley community should be less self-righteous and more understanding and appreciative of someone on their side.