Originally I had found an article on The Daily Texan about being able to camp while protesting on UT grounds, Let Us Camp. This article was done by a government senior of UT and her perspective on the camping ban was that it would hurt the student’s rights to protest, “why have a policy outlawing camping when nobody has set up tents?” (1) Her article went on to describe our government as a “system that favors capital and profits over human need” and was the problem all along (1). Due to the city taking down housing for the sick and/or homeless they push them on the streets with nowhere to go but the city itself. Thus, this creates an issue for UT as it’s grounds are wide open for protesting, camping, so if UT imposed the camping ban then they would be able to “protect its property” from camping. However, as opinionated in the mentioned article, UT is also the student’s property as their tuition pays for it’s facilities and “we should be able to use it any way we please.” (1)
On the other hand, I found the original article that the previous mentioned article was a reply to, The Benefits of the Camping Ban. A business honors freshman, also posted on The Daily Texan and from UT, stated his opinion on the camping ban that “the policy will do far more to help the campus than hurt it.” (2) He then went on to say that camping out during a protest would be futile anyways as “no one is around to hear protesters complain at night.” (2) He then explains that if the camping ban were lifted we would have the homeless population around UT migrate onto UT ground thus conflicting with student affairs. He pushes that “protest is good” but to “leave the tents and camping out of it.” (2)
At first I was all for opposing the camping ban, I mean if there isn’t any camping already why would you need to enforce a ban? Then I read the second article on the benefits of the ban and I started to change my mind. Let Us Camp is by a UT student within the government major and she’s been at UT longer than the other UT student who is a business honors freshman, so in thought the senior government major would win out in credibility. However, in my opinion, this isn’t so. I think that in the way The Benefits of the Camping Ban was presented and the way it was backed up helped present his article as having more thought and research. Let Us Camp simply states that the government is the problem but never provides a possible solution while the other article does, or at least attempts to.
As a conclusion I agree with the camping ban. If there aren’t any students camping anyways then the ban wouldn’t affect them other than during a protest. The ban would keep out homeless citizen that aren’t permitted to be there and would be a hindrance to student life. Unfortunately the city does tear down places that create homelessness in turn the UT campus can protest that and while pretesting under the camping ban you can work in shifts, like The Benefits of the Camping Ban suggested, while not breaking the ban.
Articles: (1) - Let Us Camp (2) - The Benefits of the Camping Ban
Articles: (1) - Let Us Camp (2) - The Benefits of the Camping Ban
