[adduncan]

The letter to the editor that started the whole series:
The Daily Free Press 3/28/2003
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Union needs revolutionary slate
n Let me get this straight — Paul Jenkins has pledged his undying allegiance to the "True 2" slate because he feels it "will effectively represent the real needs of the students at Boston University" ("'True 2' slate truly best for Union," March 26, pg. 11). This slate will bring in "fresh, new ideas," "by picking up where [the current slate] has left off," says Jenkins. "True 2" will undertake the "awesome task" of "not [strewing] their platform with major projects," therefore being able to devote more time to "their campaign to create a more united and prideful campus at BU."

This staggering task will be twofold: first, they will actually take on the responsibility of recruiting and retaining minority students! Wow, so next time I'm strolling through the streets of Caucasia wondering who's to blame, I can ignore the little voice in my head suspecting the administration of racism and blame it on student apathy. Thanks, "True 2!" OK, so maybe "True 2" won't take over that responsibility ... after all, they don't want major projects. But I just can't see how they will accomplish that goal without devoting tremendous effort to changing the admissions process. Student lobbying will not change a mindset that has wrongly prevailed for such a long time. Enhancing the diversity of our campus is a long-term project that needs wide-scale organizing over an extended period of time, and since "True 2" is against a rape crisis center because, as Jenkins noted, it "would require much more planning time than that which the Student Union can give in a year," they most certainly won't be up to this task either.

The second part of "True 2"'s non-major project will be simple: give frats and sororities more money! These obviously buzzing centers of campus life (judging by the layers on the frat rock) will unite the student body in one big glorious Bacchanalian orgy of alcohol and Doric columns ... or one after every sporting event. This plan is admittedly sympathetic because of its naïve ignorance of the fact that Greek life was kicked OFF campus. Maybe "True 2" should give MIT frats some money. Regardless, "True 2" feels student pride and spirit revolve around school athletics and Greek life. Perhaps this would be true if we actually had either. The students currently enrolled chose to come here despite the lack of a large athletics program or Greek life. If "True 2" were truly concerned with student spirit and pride, they would recognize that hockey is the lifeblood of a BU sports fan and that most students here are quite happy with hitting up Beta Theta Pi and the other MIT frats on the weekends. "True 2" fails to recognize what BU kids really want: cable TV. Mr. Jenkins discusses "the cable debate that has risen to an absurd level of importance over the past few months." Maybe "True 2" hopes that we'll all be too drunk (in a "fun and safe way") to notice the lack of cable channels on the TVs in our brand-new, on-campus frat houses.

For my undergraduate student fee, I'd like to see a more revolutionary slate in office, one not afraid to take on difficult issues and challenges. And judging from "True 2"'s competition, it seems my wishes have come true. My vote will most certainly not be cast for "True 2" ... unless, of course, they find a backup dancer for next season. Female this time.



Richard Saunders

CAS ’03