Not Quite Ghandi.

     Poor Edward Woollard is going to be Her Majesty's guest for the next 32 months for his role in the Millbank debacle. Hopefully, young Woollard will get a second chance at an education someday, but the whole protest seems a bit misguided.  Let me see if I can wrap my American mind around this issue. Years ago, students in the UK enjoyed free tuition, then they had to start paying a modest fee and because the government is strapped for cash, they say you have to pay more. So you have a government still willing to subsidize a large part of a degree, but that just isn't enough for the students.  Sounds a lot like getting a five pound note from your uncle and punching him for not giving you a because you a tenner.
     Stranger still is that these students think themselves to be real freedom fighters. I have had this idea in my head of a conversation between one of the recent student fee protectors and one of the kids from the 1989 Tianamen Square protest. "We were out there fighting the good fight!" says the British student. We had the courage to stand up to the authorities." "That's wonderful, says the Chinese student, "What were you protesting for? Democracy? Human Rights? Was it Civil Rights like Martin Luther King or perhaps you were taking a stand against some needless, bloody war?" "No," says the Brit, "much more important than anything like that. The government says my parents will have to pay more for school next year and that means I'll have to get a job to help pay for my Media Studies or Art History degree. That's why we're angry." "What?" says the Chinese student. "Well, um, t-t-tell me about standing up to the British authorities,"the Chinese kid says nervously, "I'm sure it took a lot of courage to stand up to those tanks and hundreds of armed police." "Absolutely," says the Brit. "There were like twenty unarmed coppers. It was terrifying!" The Chinese student gasps with surprise,"You're kidding! How could you even think to compare yourselves to those who have risked their lives to protest to promote freedom and equality? You guys are only out for yourselves!" "Shut it," says the Brit, "or I'll hit you with a fire extinguisher." Wouldn't Ghandi and Martin Luther King be proud?