No offense, but isn't that just a touch (read: a lot) condescending about people who probably care quite passionately about something, whereas you were just wavered by a press realease?

No, because I was pretty close to having firmly made up my mind. I was moderately exaggerating the importance of the press release in order to make whoever wrote it feel good.

The most important effect of the press release on my state of mind was not convincing me that the parking plan was sound--I was 95% sure of that--but that Cornell was paying attention to the issue, and had a coherent message. The doubts I had felt weren't of the necessity for more parking, or that this was the best spot, but that Cornell could pull it off without too big a publicity bad eye. I now think they can.

I've been paying very close attention to the issue, and have given it some thought. I'm pretty comfortable with, and confident in, my view of it.

No offense (and by that I mean I'm about to say something that will probably offend, but plan to say it anyway), but isn't exaggerating like that perilously close to sycophancy? Mild, sure. But tangible.

This whole entry probably isn't a good place to worry about offending...

Ari described it pretty well. It is a very small minority of students (in fact, most protestors have graduated), and they are indeed very shrill. They went over the top and made their protest a circus of grotesque behavior, rather than a reasonable questioning of the behavior of the Cornell Administration.

Throughout this entire thing, Cornell has been the classy side, responding in appropriate venues and methods (and yes, dragging people out of private offices when they have TRESPASSED and BROKEN THE LAW is appropriate). The redbuddies have done nothing but create publicity through illegal and ineffective acts.

Sending the letter to an office where they are likely to agree with you wasn't rude, but posting it to your journal where you let your friends know you call them "shrill" behind their back is. Sending the letter is your decision, but posting it comes pretty close to rubbing it in.

I agree that posting comes pretty close to rubbing it in, although I'd go past that and qualify it as somewhat abrasive thoughtlessness. Unless, of course, the results and implications were intentional.