If the Daily Bruin truly does support actively fighting injustices such as perpetual extortive fee hikes, as this article claims it does, wouldn’t it be better suited to try to support or help the movement in some constructive way? “Generating student interest” may, as you say, “require a well thought-out plan,” but it also requires something slightly above a prematurely dismissive snub in the main medium of student discourse on campus. You even say “it’s admirable that organizers are attempting to make a stand on important issues,” but all you do in this article is stand against us.
One would also do well to note—as responsible journalists might—that it was our first meeting of any sort: most of us did not know each other, and so were trying to get acquainted with not only the many people but the many perspectives of our group; many of us were also there as “tourists” (not an evil unto itself, as we hope to either persuade or open dialogue with other groups and individuals), but explaining our stances to them—and each other, since I believe the diversity of thought in the movement is not distracting and unorganized, but helpfully and accurately representative, as long as we make sure our stances our communicated and understood—took time, maybe longer than the sole Bruin representative at the meeting (who still somehow seems to represent their majority editorial opinion) had patience for, but time well spent for future meetings to avoid unnecessary gridlock and friction. One would also do well to note that, as a result of the presence of the Bruin reporter at the meeting, we had to spend the first twenty minutes discussing whether we wanted our names published, or whether we could in good faith ask them to not take notes—you see, we want to explore an open relationship with the press, and would feel hypocritical otherwise, but we do not feel it is symptomatic of the Daily Bruin wanting a positive relationship with us to report on the efficacy of our very first meeting, before we are even an official group. What group takes strides on their first meeting of every quarter, or every year (beyond pot lucks, small talk, redundant summaries, and introductions)? What group could be asked in good conscience to make dramatic strides in long-term, gigantic systemic issues on its first meeting ever? Would the Daily Bruin like to publish the minutes of its first meeting of the year—the meeting where they describe themselves, their processes, and their applications to new students unsure whether or not to join (and nothing else)—and open them to critique not as the minutes of their first meeting, but as the summary of their potential and trajectory as a news source?