Down: Jeremy Beckham, activist extraordinaire, held his last protest at the home of U Researcher Alessandra Angelucci. Beckham, known for his over-the-top protests in favor of animal rights, went way over the line this time. He said, “These home protests will continue until they find work that doesn’t involve torture.” If this is how Beckham feels, perhaps he should start protesting at the Army Reservists’ homes that served in Abu Ghraib.
Down: Mark Harmsen wrote an article (“Break a leg…no seriously,” March 2), which was centered on how he felt that my article about Greek Rush was unfair to the Sigma Chis. Unfortunately, Harmsen apparently didn’t realize that he is a Sigma Chi, as the article was written like he truly was independent from the situation. This whole thing is old news. Sorry if you’re still bitter, Sigs, but I’m over it-you should be too.
Down: Last week, I received an e-mail from PINC advertising that its party on Saturday would be “fuzz-free.” It looks like even PINC and a $33 million house can’t keep the cops away, as they showed up and closed the gates to the house at 11p.m.
Up: Before the “fuzz” showed up at the MTV Cribs-style PINC party last Friday, the candidates still managed to pull an estimated 5,000 people out to an election party. Last year, there were a total of 5,117 votes cast in the election. The huge number of people PINC was able to get to come to its party makes it seem that voter turnout is looking up for this year’s elections.
Up: “We are getting a fabulous deal and a top-notch education,” was how None of the Above Party’s Steven Paradise responded to questioning about tuition on a K-UTE interview this week. Finally, a candidate has acknowledged that, in fact, the U has some of the lowest tuition in the country-and that ASUU has no direct control over tuition.
Down: Two kinds of people turn out during elections season: the cynical and the ignorant.
People refuse to accept that elections have always been, are, and will always be the same. ASUU is a popularity contest for rich kids, a rsum builder and not a whole lot else.
They throw a few parties, start projects that don’t really get anywhere and make promises they’ll never fulfill.
This is OK. This is how things are. Learn to accept it.
The electoral ignorant need to realize that ASUU doesn’t put on Crimson Nights, doesn’t control the cost of tuition and doesn’t control The Chronicle. Along with that, many of them don’t listen to what the candidates actually have to say and then whine about issues that the candidates plan on solving.
Up: Students First gets my endorsement for this year’s party to vote for. RuthAnn Frost and I decided last week that they are nerds and the ones worth electing. In fact, she endorsed them this week (“Clearing the Air,” March 3) in The Chronicle, saying, “Nerds are willing to dedicate their entire lives to student government.” I can see Ali and John running ASUU in a way I can agree with.
Plus, the majority of their candidates have been being straight up with Chronicle reporters, whereas the other major party hasn’t.