Posted on 09/18/2007 6:56:24 AM PDT by MplsSteve
Wearing an armband with the word "fast" on it, Sofi Shank admits that her decision to put her body on the line for her beliefs isn't sitting well with her parents.
"They're really concerned about my health," said Shank, 19, a University of Minnesota freshman. "My dad hasn't been getting sleep; he's been calling me all the time."
On Monday, Shank was one of 11 university students who began a hunger strike in support of striking clerical, health care and technical workers. The students -- who are also being joined by one professor and a university civil service employee -- will drink water and juice, but they vow not to eat again until the university settles the contract dispute with the AFSCME-represented workers.
The university called the hunger strike "unfortunate," and even the striking workers, who rejected an administration offer last week for a lump sum payment in lieu of a higher raise, aren't all thrilled with it.
But the 11 students say they will sit in chairs each day just outside of Morrill Hall, the primary administration building.
"The administration is set on busting this union, so we're pushed into this as our last resort," said Shank, who grew up in southwest Minneapolis. "Will the administration listen? All we can do is try. For our own health, we hope the answer is yes."
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
It's a far cry from the apathetically attuned commuter campus it was back in the 80's. It's now a hotbed of misguided liberalism. Unfortunately, some of the kids doing this hunger strike sound like they didn't recently pick up these "ideals". It sounds like their parents (and the local education establishment) had a lot to do with it.
Comments or opinions - anyone?
That's probably why their football team can't even beat Florida Atlantic.
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I'll also say that paying attention to people on hunger strikes is like negotiating with terrorists. Waste of time.
I passed a load of striking workers the other day. I yelled ‘get back to work’ and boy you shoulda seen the response... I was lucky to get out unharmed- my car took a hit.
I support some union activities, but when they start harming the company they work for, then they are stupid.
Auto unions caused their own problems with janitors sweeping floors at $65K per year (plus benefits) You could have 6 at $10 per hour and have a cleaner place and more employed people.
LOL!
Easy now, I’m still feeling the sting over that one. I’m a Univ of Mn alum.
If I were the parent, I’d say “I’m paying $xxxx for your education, not for you to sit in a chair and protest. Get your a** to class or I stop paying, and you pay your own way, from tuition to rent to food and books and gad and laundry.”
It’s time to outsource the cafeteria to a local caterer.
My armband says “slow”.
Well put. I’d do the same thing.
Sofi's dad is losing sleep because he sees the money invested in Sofi's education going up in smoke.
If they look like the average college student, they can probably live off their pizza/beer fat reserves for quite some time.
Yeah, I enjoy stories about hunger strikes ....
Hunger Strike against the Minutemen .... click here to view
Is it a hunger strike or an “Al Sharpton hunger strike”?
I remember Al gaining weight during his.
Yeah, hopefully some of the hunger strikers are d-backs. Maybe if they dropped a couple lbs. they could keep up with the junior college receivers.
If I were the parent, I’d stop the tuition checks and demand a refund on the meal tickets.
Idiotic kids, what is their purpose in being in college. Certainly not a return on investment.
Haven’t seen any hunger strikers down here on the Rochester college, but being it’s Tuesday, they’ve probably already gave into the hunger pains.
I wonder what happened to her...
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