Students and alumni examined the history of activism in Buffalo and discussed why students today are practicing different forms of protest at a forum titled "Activism: Then and Now" on Friday afternoon.
The forum speakers in the Student Union Theater addressed the Hayes Hall 45 incident, when 45 UB professors were arrested on South Campus in the spring of 1970.
Michael Frisch, a history professor who was one of the 45, described the protests as a series of lines that were continually crossed as students pushed further for a cause. Students did not know when crossing one more line would turn into violence, he said.
"It was not like everyone was running around revolting, trying to change the world," Frisch said.
Robert Dentan, an American studies and anthropology professor, was also one of the professors arrested at Hayes Hall. He said he thinks students today are less passionate activists because they have learned to be very well mannered.
Compared to the 1960s, Dentan said students in his generation were spoiled because their only responsibility was to attend school, leaving them with excess time on their hands to think about campus issues and pursue change. Students today, Dentan argued, have far more on their plates.
Frisch, however, said students were no different in the 1970s than they are now.
"History is full of surprises and anything can happen overnight," Frisch said.
Surprises and student responsibility aside, the speakers stressed a common overall theme: education is the key to realizing what is wrong, and students can help change things for the better.
The students who were most active in the protests during the '70s, according to Dentan, were also those most involved in the classroom. They weren't just out to be rebellious, he said.
Some students who attended the event said they agreed with Dentan that students could still make a difference.
"The important thing for students to realize is that they have the ability to do something that matters to them," said Jonathan Mingola, a junior computer science major. "They have the power to change it and have a voice."
Sean-Michael Aaron, a sophomore media studies major, said the forum was a welcome learning experience.
"I thought having this program was a great idea. It is a good starting point to build a foundation," Aaron said.
Students in attendance included members of the Muslim SA, UB Students Against Sweatshops, Engineering for a Sustainable World, Feminist Action Group and the UB Environmental Network, all of which co-sponsored the event.
"It is an empowering feeling to be part of," said Dan Cross, a member of Students Against Sweatshops.
"I think it is a great venue," said Heather Housh, a sophomore marketing and financial analysis major. "The only way for us to grow, learn and fully appreciate what we have at UB is to understand the struggles others have been through. Realizing the power of a voice and how one person can make a difference by telling others for a common goal."
Creighton Randall, a Students Against Sweatshops member and one of the event's organizers, said he hoped the diversified turnout was a sign of good things to come.
"I thought that the turnout was a good turnout for being Good Friday," said Randall, a junior mechanical engineering major. "There was a good diversity and no one left without learning something new. Hopefully this will lead to more groups working together in a more organized fashion in the future."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
