November 14th Speech - Riot Police on McGill Campus

I gave this speech during the assembly at McGill today: (these are un-edited notes)

I could give you a first hand account of what I experienced on thursday november 10th, but Id rather talk about something else. I want give a brief analysis of what we are doing today, in relation to what happened last thursday, in a broader context. if some of what I say is inaccessible, I encourage you to come and speak to me after.
this is my take, and i dont speak for anyone other than myself.

reminiscent of what happens during the G20 in toronto and other events around the world, I have heard attempts to demonize those who decide to take actions of civil disobedience, that go beyond the parameters set by the status quo. this is an important step to take in order to justify what is to come afterwards.

usually those who step over the line are set aside as examples for society to shame.
They are hooligans and trespassers and people who initiate violence.
They do not respect private property.
Do not fall prey to this rhetoric.

If the idea of resistance is designed and defined by law makers or politicans, it is no longer resistance. Its like creating a designated riot area, the square, as napoleon figured out, in order to vent anymore potential revolutions.
These systems of power have become much more sophisticated since then.

The task of the a resistance movement is to re-articulate these lines,
to re-articulate this square, as we are attempting to do today.
The point I am trying to make is this: a true culture of resistance must emerge on all fronts, behind the line, on the line, and in front of the line. This is how the line can be erased.

On thursday, we saw some of our colleagues use a type of civil disobedience which inched over the line. This small step over the line, maintained for a couple hours, and escalated slightly by the human chain outside and a sit down on the 2nd floor, illicited an unnecessary, heavy handed response by those who have taken an oath to protect and serve.
The occupation revealed 4 things. First, they reveal the deep insecurities of the powers that be. Second, they reveal the power that we hold, the fact that those who are unheard, really do have a voice. third, they also reveal the non-democratic structures that our university rests on.

how do we expect the whole of society to be democratic if we cant even have a voice in our local community? the fact is, our society, is not democratic one. it is a corporatocracy. i dont need to tell you that the structure of our society is one of double standards, where cut-throat capitalism exists for the poor, while bailouts exist for the rich.

I stand here today, not merely because of munaca and workers rights, not merely because of tuition increases, not merely because of injuctions and attacks on free speech..
I am standing here, because the very foundations of our society are corrupt, the foundations of our society rest upon a sophisticated set of coercive operations which attempt to make us completely and utterly powerless. Unfortunately, It seems that this institution, McGill, is also playing into this game. This stands in contrast to what Heather Munroe Blum believes, this morning on the CBC she stated that ‎"UNIVERSITIES ARE A PLACE OF SELF GOVERNANCE" I say, lets carry that through
So thats the 4th point. The actions on thursday revealed the inherent violence which our university, our community and our society as a whole rests upon.

now, if you disagree with any of these sentiments, i welcome it, and this is what this forum is about. But the fact is, this assembly would not exist if it wasnt for the actions of those who took a stand on thursday november tenth. those who valiantly fought to wake us up.

the core of a democratic assembly is not about making demands, or coming to conclusions, its not about majority rule, and its not about even coming to any agreements, although these things could definitely be apart of it. its about giving each and every one of us a voice within a community that listens. its about creating a real public sphere, one in which we can trully be proud to be apart of.
its a sad state of affairs when merely having a voice that can be heard is considered revolutionary.

i want to end with a fear that I have in common with a prominent preacher at occupy wall-street, slavoj zizek.
my greatest fear, is to have us, in 20-30 years, to think back at these moments, and think of them as 'the good old days' or 'the days when we were young.'

To reiterate, the actions taken on thursday point to issues that are not limited to the realm of this university. This is why a culture of resistance is necessary. but it must emerge on all fronts, on all grounds and it must be ongoing. this way, we can continually deconstruct any and all ever-recreating forms of unjust hierarchy and voicelessness.
Lets not make the same mistakes of the past, lets not fall asleep, lets continue to be lucid, lets rearticulate this space and turn it into a true public sphere, one in which all perspectives, at the very least, are respected and listened to. finally Lets make this last.