Posted on 04/01/2005 9:02:03 AM PST by freespirited
Tensions rose in front of the Memorial Union on Tuesday over an affirmative action bake sale that sold cookies at prices determined by the buyer's race.
ASU's College Republicans set up the bake sale to protest affirmative action.
It sold cookies, Zingers and Twinkies to white males for $1, to white women for 75 cents, to Asians and Pacific Islanders for $1.25, to black and Hispanic males for 50 cents and to black and Hispanic women for 25 cents.
Jared Sandella, president of the club, said he knew some people wouldn't agree with the club's position, but both white and minority students were buying.
"They're more than welcome to come up and argue," he said.
Similar anti-affirmative action bake sales were shut down in 2003 at the Southern Methodist University in Texas and Northwestern University in Chicago.
Several students took on the group Tuesday. Many of them approached the booth screaming and accusing the club of being racist.
"They're [the club] trying to say affirmative action is based on race, but it's not," said Juan Fortenberry, a kinesiology freshman.
Leigh Dukatt, an urban planning junior and member of the College Republicans, said the crowd was misinterpreting the meaning of the bake sale.
"We're not racist," Dukatt said.
Getting a job or getting into college should be based on social and economic factors instead of race, he added.
Another student protesting the sale was Dan Martinez, a biology and society senior. He said affirmative action was a good program that benefited many people.
"After so many years of oppression, we have to level the playing field somehow," he said.
ASU's Young Democrats did not have an official position on the bake sale, but a few of its members decided to independently boycott it by handing out fliers.
"We're giving out actual statistics to engage people in some learning," said Joaquin Rios, a political science freshman. "This is an issue that takes more than 30 seconds to explain."
The fliers included information such as poverty rate differences among races, the average income between different races and the percentage of college degrees earned by people of different races.
Natalya Kuskin, a political science and English literature freshman, also handed out fliers. There is no equality in this country and affirmative action is needed, she said.
"So much racism is still in this country, and the government still has a responsibility to do something," she said.
Sandella said one group showed up to protest the bake sale by handing out free cookies to anyone who wanted them.
The group was asked to leave after Sandella informed the Student Development and Memorial Union Administration Office that the group didn't have a food waiver.
"They have the right to protest," Sandella said. "But I didn't want them to violate the University's policy."
The policy says anyone who wants to sell or give out food on campus must apply for a food waiver.
The College Republicans applied for its food waiver Feb. 8.
"We were going to bake ourselves but it would violate policy," Sandella said.
Reach the reporter at michael.famiglietti@asu.edu
Right on, bro! The silly notion that it should be based on qualifications was a plot hatched by white guys who have ruined it for everyone else (and endangered the snail darter while they were at it).
In this day and age, TRUTH often evokes outrage.
The problem is that was one of the College Republicans [Leigh Dukatt] saying it. How about basing it on grades and talent.
"They're [the club] trying to say affirmative action is based on race, but it's not," said Juan Fortenberry, a kinesiology freshman.
Keep talking that way Juan, and a Florida judge is going to order your feeding tube removed.
It looks as if the socialists have taken over the pubbies anyhoo!
Indeed. And many people who were more qualified were discriminated against so that lesser qualified people could be benefited. Ya twit.
If students today were being taught economics, entrepenuership, self reliance, and critical thinking skills instead of the culture of victimhood these bake sales would present a great opportunity.
A member of the minority getting the lowest price would buy ALL of the available products and then sell them at a nice profit.
But no. Instead of seeing opportunity and seizing it. They see offense and act the victim.
"After so many years of oppression, we have to level the playing field somehow," he said.
If Dan Martinez, university senior and science major, would care to discuss the years he spent enduring oppression, I'd love to hear about it.
huh?
Well, blow me down. You learn something everyday.
At least there are active Republican groups on campi nowadays. Kids by nature are rebellious. When America was conservative it was chic to be liberal. Now that the colleges are controlled by the left it is rebellious to be conservative. The social pendulum swings slowly but swing it will.
We've been dealing with this problem for decades. Maybe they need a new organization: College RINOs.
Wrong. Getting into college should be based on merit and not on anything else - race, gender, socio-economic status.
Hmm, had to look that one up in the ASU online catalog, and found the following:
"Kinesiology Major [Formally known as Exercise Science/Physical Education Major]"
So, its fine with Juan for the taxpayers to pay for him to study "recess". I say that he already HAS a feeding tube worth pulling!
Now that the colleges are controlled by the left it is rebellious to be conservative. The social pendulum swings slowly but swing it will.
Don't count on it. 50% of the population (Double X chromosomes) cannot achieve parity without affirmative action especially in scientific and technical fields. They will always demand a boost when a disparity becomes obvious.
Another student protesting the sale was Dan Martinez, a biology and society senior. He said affirmative action was a good program that benefited many people.
"After so many years of oppression, we have to level the playing field somehow," he said.
Again, from the ASU website:
"The Center for Biology and Society explores conceptual foundations of the biosciences and their diverse interactions with society through Bioethics, Policy, and Law. By bringing together dispersed activities, the Center expands opportunities for intellectual ferment and increased impact by creating synergistic collaborations and communication."
After stripping out the gobbledegook, you have a program whose stated purpose is to examine issues that related to biology (race comes to mind) and society (AA also comes to mind). You'd think that Danny would have appreciated the chance to study the interactions, rather than just blowing his piehole about it. Oops, missed a shot at a nice extra credit paper there, Dan!
Natalya Kuskin, a political science and English literature freshman, also handed out fliers. There is no equality in this country and affirmative action is needed, she said.
"So much racism is still in this country, and the government still has a responsibility to do something," she said.
Elsewhere in the Web Devil, in response to the question: "Do you think Terri Shiavo's feeding tube should be replaced?" she states the following:
"She shouldn't have to die ... She's still bringing happiness to her parents." --Natalya Kuskin, political science and English literature freshman
Maybe Natalya is capable of being saved, if we can get this immigrant away from left-wing influences. Good thing for her and her family, if they came over, too, that there is enough equality to let them over here, and at least partially pay for her "education".
He's a "biology and society" major. If you go to the ASU website and read the full text of what they are trying to "teach", you'll realize Danny's years of enduring oppression are to come, when he will bilingually ask people if they want fries with that.
You think they'll charge different prices for the fries, depending on the color of who drives up? ;)
The problem with AA programs is that they are essentially zero-sum games. Basing admissions on social and economic factors will just discriminate against people whose parents dared to actually work hard and get ahead in life, and will probably just wind up discriminating against middle-class people anyway. The true ultra rich still won't have any problem getting their offspring into the college of their choice.
I am applying to graduate schools next year. I feel I have worked very hard to get where I am and to make the grades that I did.
All I want is to be judged on the merits of my academic performance, not on my skin color or how much money mommy has.
Affirmative Action = Racism and bias. If the Declaration of Independence states that "all Men are created equal", then why should we treat others with preference? Each man/woman judged own their own merits.
Didn't they do this last year too?
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