Lose Weight Now, Ask Me How!

A group of CU students has been on hunger strike for about two weeks, protesting how the administration allows CU-branded apparel to be manufactured. Apparently, according to these students, although the university has policies to prevent the use of sweatshops, these policies are not good enough for the workers. The strikers want the administration to adopt a new set of rules that would allow the sweatshirtshop workers to unionize and earn a living wage. The administration has apparently been listening to them, and has made some counterproposals, but is concerned about the legality of adopting the students' proposal in its entirety.

My first response is that I think I know what a hunger strike is, and this just doesn't seem like one. At a minimum, the striking students are drinking a yummy-sounding concoction consisting of:

• 10-14 oz. (distilled) water


• 2 tbsp. lemon or lime juice


• 2 tbsp. organic maple syrup, grade B (I guess they can't afford grade A)


• 1/10 tsp. cayenne pepper to taste

So, they may be hungry, but these students are in no immediate danger. This is on top of the rumors of eating fruit and protein drinks. (But I don't repeat rumors.)

Also, seems like every time I read about this story, another group of students has joined or left the protest. Well, to my thinking, you can't just drop in and out of a hunger strike. Who will take you seriously unless you are willing to take it to the end?

My message to the strikers: Read up on your Thoreau. There is a message in there to help you with your cause.

To the CU administration. I'm impressed that you have already worked so well with the strikers. Continue to listen to them, hear their arguments. Then, make the right decision, independent of the fact that they are on a hunger strike. You should not make policy decisions based on the demands of protesters, for the same reason that you don't negotiate with terrorists.