OK, so let us clarify: Fresh > Students Against Hippies in Trees (which we thought was Students against Hippies in Trees, i.e. “SHIT”) > Harrison’s e-mail > student replies. All artfully done, mind you. This is the New Yorker, a class of writing that will make your bougie panties weep.

We wish we could have seen more replies–after all, Harrison did receive hundreds, according to the article. The New Yorker mentioned a mere pinch:* “Personally I have never understood the idea of protesting via tree, but I know many of my classmates find it admirable”

* “I appreciate your dedication to our safety, and hope that you do not feel too antagonized on a campus whose heritage is somewhat based on questioning authority figures”

* “I agree with you 100%. I hate those tree people or those crazy people who walk around in Sproul and lecture everyone on the harm of cell phones”

* “You can be sure that the student body will once again rise to the call of our beloved University. Not everyone is here to practice free speech and be a nuisance; most of us are here to obtain one of the finest educations in the world. Go Bears!”

We’re not quite sure whether the third reply or the last one is worse. The crazy people are easy to tune out, so that’s not that big of an issue…but maybe that’s because “not everyone is here to practice free speech.” Only the crazies do that, right?

California Postcard: On A Limb [New Yorker]
Earlier: Open letter: Seeing the forest for the trees [NewsCenter]

It all seemed so perfectly timed considering Fresh had also just written quite an eye-opening op-ed that appeared in the Daily Cal this morning. It was printed alongside a lovely tree illustration and three other opinions that argued about the effectiveness of his protest. Fresh’s perspective, of course, was the most informative–we actually got to read about his many causes in an organized fashion, rather than hear random bursts of “Democratize the regents!” We imagine all readers chimed in for a collective, “Ooh, so that’s what he’s been protesting all this time!”

Perhaps he should have written the op-ed before–instead of partaking in an irritating, confusing and disorganized tree-sit. Then again, we probably wouldn’t have read it.

Poll after the jump.

So, taking the new literature and the civilized tree-side discussions into account:

Image Source: Michael Kang, Daily Cal
“I would like to point to the root cause of the problems: the regents.” [Daily Cal]
Protester Outside Wheeler Hall Cited After Leaving Tree [Daily Cal]
Earlier: I Don’t Wanna Come Down! I Want Ya’ll to Rise Up, Baby!

That’s what Fresh said this morning as more than 300 onlookers watched him continue to resist the orders of the UCPD. The cops attempted to ease him down at around 12 p.m. using a written statement that promised no arrest or identification if he descends from his post. Using ladders and sharp instruments, they also cut away Fresh’s hammock and supplies.

Naturally, he didn’t budge. He didn’t kick his “shitbucket,” either–much to the dismay of the people who skipped class in hopes of seeing drama unfold.

Obviously, the Fresh saga is not over. Based on what we heard today, however, the Clog compiled a short list of things you should say to your closest neighbor if you ever find yourself ogling at the drawn-out treewok spectacle.

“Is this where my tax dollars are going?”

“SHUT UP!” (Make sure you direct this in the general direction of anyone who expresses support for the sit.)

“Where is the accountability!”

“If you really support your cause, take off the mask!”

“We love you, Fresh!”

And if your name is Ayr, a.k.a. Erik Eisenberg, please wear that awesome Wicked t-shirt more often.

Also spied, at around 1 p.m.–Zachary RunningWolf, in the same outfit as yesterday, chalking right outside the police barricades. Didn’t he make it into a PoLo for chalking illegally a few months ago?

We would give you more pictures, but we left our camera phone USB connector at home. We saw a lot of you busting your cameras out, though, so feel free to share the love!

Image Source: Michael Kang, Daily Cal
UCPD Attempts to Remove Protester From Tree Outside Wheeler Hall [Daily Cal]
Earlier: We Spy: Kicking, Screaming and Power Tripping at Fresh’s Pad

UC Berkeley treated our resident Cal parakeet, “Fresh,” to quite a spectacle yesterday–and we’re not talking about the performers for Pilipino Cultural Night who were practicing a heartfelt rendition of Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road” on Dwinelle Plaza, directly across from his perch.

No, Fresh had a gang of angry supporters by his police-lined fences on Sunday afternoon. Among the riled up company was our favorite all-purpose protester, Zachary RunningWolf–tricked out in his usual impeccably-selected anti-American t-shirt.

The Clog happened to be there when the grandmother-pushing and subsequent nonsensical yelling began. “White males kill their mothers!” declared one angry woman, repeatedly, after police forcefully prevented an elderly woman from giving Fresh a little nourishment.

One guy eventually snagged a heroically symbolic arrest after throwing a chain of water bottles to the Wheeler Hall treewok.

One of the bottles fell, however. A cop promptly picked it up and emptied it in silent revenge. Cue the cries of “YOU BASTARD!”

And then it got boring.

Apparently, RunningWolf was also there to protest against the university’s ownership of Native-American remains. Yes, at a tree sit. We don’t even know what tree-people are protesting anymore. Development? The lack of affirmative action? The last season of “The Wire”? Pick a cause, any cause– ’cause every protest has an element of anti-everything: anti-cops, anti-democratization, anti-shower.

Such is the multi-purpose nature of a tree-sit–in Berkeley, at least.

Image Source: Patrici Flores
Earlier: News from the Tree Front: ‘Fresh’ Makes Like a Cat and Scrambles

“I was planning on leaving, but the officer chased me,” he told The Daily Californian, “so I climbed up the tree.” No, we’re not talking about that big tree in front of Wheeler Hall, the one already shouldering the burden of a massive sign. We’re talking about another nearby tree.

Seriously, what gives? Where’s the Lorax when you need him? Or, more importantly–where are those Greenpeace-ers who were supposed to be protesting Kimberly-Clark’s “Kleercutting” of Boreal forests? Maybe they should turn their tree-flushing tactics into a tree two-fer to save the suffering trees right in their own backyard–er–campus.

Or, even better yet, why can’t the trees themselves grow a pair (of leaves) and protest on their own behalf? It happened in “The Lord of the Rings,” and Berkeley’s probably home to the Ents’ most ardent fan base, so why not here? The trees could sit on people! Now that would be news. Well, all we here at The Clog can say is, “Told you so.”

Protester Leaves Tree Outside Wheeler Hall and Moves to Another Tree [Daily Californian]

UPDATE: Greenpeace and UC Berkeley Students to Hold the Most Disgusting Protest Ever Tomorrow [SFist]

Earlier: We See a Pattern: Trees Become 21st Century Soapbox