But what can the UVA Student Council do?  Don't they have problems of their own that they should be worried about?

I'm not sure that Tim Kaine puts a lot of stock in the energy and environmental expertise of a college student council.

I'm against this too but it seems a little silly that they're weighing in on this.

Always good to disparage the credibility of the future leaders of Virginia. Stick to weighing in on the quality of the cafeteria food, kids!

Student councils usually have a great deal of power over stuff that happens at their university -- beyond just cafeteria food.

I was hoping someone was going to say that they're ordering a massive letter-writing campaign by students, or protests, or some action to pressure Governor Kaine.

It's not out of line to ask what action will accompany a resolution like this.

They don't have money to donate to campaigns, so why should Governor Kaine listen to them?  

But seriously, in the least, maybe this will motivate some parents to follow their kids advice and look to the future. I give the students props for doing something and not just sitting on the sidelines.

to ask what people are going to do besides pass a resolution?

Of course Tim Kaine should listen to them -- but is all they're going to do pass a resolution?  Will they go to Richmond?  Will they coordinate student action?  Will they stage a letter-writing campaign?

Jeez, you're making me feel like a Hillary Clinton supporter with all this "action" vs. "talk" commentary!

http://www.raisingkaine.com/sh...

This is the kind of things that gets politicians' attention.  I've already called Governor Kaine to express my opposition to this power plant, and I'm sure most of you have too.

A typo in there -- should read "This is the kind of thing that gets politicians' attention."

See! This is what I was talking about!

I'm all for student activism, and I hope that students can channel their work into something powerful, so their voices can be heard.  The Obama campaign is an example of how activism among young people can truly change things dramatically.

your point.  Yes, students should do tons of letter writing and petitioning.   I'm just used to people telling students they can't make a difference, rather than telling them how to make a difference.

Just FYI, most of the 1000+ valentines to Governor Kaine and possibly 10,000 petitions against the plant were done by students. I think they are trying, but finding the same obstacles with getting media or attention that we are.

As one of the students directly involved with getting this Student Council resolution passed, I'd like to clear up a few misunderstandings.  It's been insinuated that UVA students have simply come out with this statement opposing the Wise plant, but with no real action to back it up.  This is simply false - there are multiple student political/environmental action groups that have been working to raise awareness about the issue for months.  Some of our students have made trips to Wise to see the site, some of our students are spending their spring breaks in Appalachia to learn about coal-related issues (Wise included).  We have hosted film screenings on mountaintop removal, staged protests and demonstrations, and collected signatures for petitions.  Also remember that UVA has a campus in Wise County.  Please don't be fooled into thinking that UVA students are all "talk" and no "action" on the topic of Wise County.  

I'm not suggesting that when we drafted the resolution we thought that this would be THE action to stop the project.  We hoped to draw attention to the pressing issues in Wise - things that need to be addressed by our Governor.  The plant at Wise will impact the entire Commonwealth, so I don't see why a student government should be shunned from voicing its opinion on the subject.