I think a lot of my philosophy on civil disobedience was formed during my undergraduate years at Berkeley.

And not the way you might think.

This article, from the Daily Cal, sent to me by Nick, reminds me of the Ethnic Studies Protests. I don't know the facts of this particular case, but in the Ethnic Studies Protests of '99, students ended up protesting being arrested for illegal actions done while protesting.

The whole point of civil disobedience is making a statement out of your willingness to take it on the chin in the pursuit of your cause. This is something I found lacking in many of the radical student groups at Berkeley.

Another lesson I learned in my youth was in seventh grade during the first gulf war. Students wanted to walk out of classes at our grassy Pasadena girls school in protest of the war. Problem was, all of the teachers were opposed to the war too. Our English teacher pointed this out to us, and it made a very big impression on me. People should choose the buildings the take over and picket carefully, if they're going to go throug the trouble of getting into trouble.