Anthony PlonczynskiSophomore- aplonczynski@yahoo.com585-274-3538
Democrats Alienate Base
Well I can see that not a lot of thought went into this letter to President Jackson from the College Democrats, other than the idea and fear that the Republicans stealing the Democratic debate on the protection of first Amendment rights for all. When you state that you support the republican’s right to hold an Affirmative action bake sale you condone the bake sale and all of the Racial Bigotry that comes along with it. Yes, The CR’s have the right to open up dialogue and debate about Affirmative action on college campuses but in no way do they have the right to use such insensitive and racially connotative means in doing so. The way they tried to question the merit of students by using such devices shows a lack of understanding of the racial atmosphere and reality in this country and the willingness and carelessness of using Racial and bigoted symbols. The Bake Sale was not “innocent” freedom of Speech it was created to be confrontational. This type of action has been going on all around the nation as a part of the Horowitz campaign against affirmative action in which they use the bake sales, not as means to open up dialogue but ways to create themselves as the victims of First Amendment violations, Regardless of what reaction or concern others might have. What they did was grounds for a riot in any other atmosphere other than the University of Rochester Campus. What the Republicans in my view all along have lacked the understanding or the knowledge of history in the United States and this is why they are so much against things such as Affirmative action. They have no idea about the complexity of Race nor understand the meaning of it and how minority students and groups deal with it as a factor in their lives. After Reading this letter that “we Democrats” have endorsed I am not so sure that “we” understand either. We have failed to see the harm in abusing such freedoms of speech and just take it as the CR’s way of fighting for their rights. The real point is that the College Republicans have based all of their stances on opportunity to exploit protections under the law. I mean really when have the republicans ever been in favor of conserving an individual’s right to free speech? Just look at the Patriot act. If the republicans were really out to demand or create a dialogue on Affirmative Action within college Campuses all they had to do is create one, but no, this was not the case and now it leaves us questioning their true intent towards the Bake Sale at all. So by defending this act we have failed to see the whole picture. As a group we have failed to read between the lines and now it will deem costly as we have sold our soles to the CR’s in hopes of trying to not tarnish an image. When in reality we have alienated our base. Hell we have alienated our motto, “friends don’t let friends vote Republican,” well the College Democrats have made it so we all vote Republican. “But it is true-you put the Democrats first and the Democrats but you last.” (Malcolm X The Ballot or the Bullet, 1964)
