Reasons for College Students Protests in the 1960s - Essay Example

College administrators were also strict in implementing rules, in punishments, and this led to protests in reaction (Conlin 275). In addition, ethnic-based concerns, especially in the United States, such as discrimination, and governments’ arbitrary decisions over students, such as involvement in national services caused the protests (Kennedy & Null 1).

Significance of the 10 Points of the Black Panther Party platform and Rationale Behind the DemandsThe ten points were significant in defining the change that the black community desired in the United States and beyond. The points followed the war for equality that shifted from civil rights to black power that the Black Panther Party championed. Achieving the objective of the ten points would identify a revolution, a factor that also identifies the significance of the demand. There would be a change to autonomy among blacks, eradicated unemployment, the abolition of slavery, access to education, and exemption from military service.

Other desired changes were the abolition of police brutality, freedom for black convicts, and jury composition of black juries for black cases. Success in the realization of the points, even if not immediate, also establishes the significance because the points offered a blueprint for change. Adherents of the Black Panther Party platform would make such demands because of the oppressions that Blacks experienced in American society. Factors such as slavery, unemployment that meant poverty and poor quality of health, and discriminatory treatments in various places are examples of the experiences that would motivate the adherents into the demands (Pinkney 103, 104).

Some of the main Themes of Tom Hayden’s Article Significance of students’ power in the movement and factors into the protests were some of the major themes in the article. The author notes the continued expansion of the students’ movement that he compares with the ethnic conflict at the time. He notes that the students’ movement achieves greater success and its leaders become more established. Referring to the movement in Columbia, the author notes that within a year, other campuses have assimilated the movement, and techniques that are more sophisticated are developed.

Causes of the students’ protests are another theme and opposition to the “middle-class world of manipulation channeling, and careerism” is an example (Hayden 1). Opposition to social institutions and the need for rules that are more liberal are other factors in the students’ movement that the author identifies. In addition, the students wanted a transformed university system and their participation in the reformation. Cultural recognition in the ethnically volatile society is another factor that the author identifies with the students’ movement (Hayden 1).