[X]PRESSONLINE

Story by Kimberly Castillo

On Oct. 17, the college republicans wanted to make their voices heard at SF State. They held an “anti- terrorist” event in Malcolm X plaza in which they stood upon flags with the word God in Arabic written upon them. Jason Shuffler, a writer for Xpress who was at the scene, reported the following.

“This campus preaches free speech, but unless you are Republican,” Carl Clark, 22, president of the College Republicans said. “We don’t show up and protest their events.”

I’m sorry Clark but I beg to differ. Do I not recall your presence at the protest against the military recruiters? What about the “Killer Coke” campaign against corporate sponsored murders, in which your organization handed out fliers that said, “Enjoy Capitalism.” And what about heckling the promoters for the protest on the war in Iraq? I recall you all holding signs reading, “End the Commie Occupation.”

I should preface my perspective with the fact that I once did get into a screaming match with the campus republicans.

Some time around the May 1 immigration rallies, the campus GOP set up an anti immigration “bake sale.” An undocumented friend of mine who works at a campus café, approached their table, barricaded by overzealous republicans posing as border patrolmen. They had a sign offering free pastries to immigrants. My friend asked if he could have a cupcake.

“Can you prove that you’re undocumented?” asked one of the republicans dressed in army camo.

“Uh, no. Obviously I don’t have papers,” my friend responded.

“Well, then I guess you don’t get a cupcake,” said the border patrolman.

I don’t get it.

So I gave them a piece of my mind.

“Maybe if the U.S. didn’t fuck over so many other countries, immigrants wouldn’t have to come here and take the crappy jobs that Americans don’t want. They’re just trying feed their families.”

One of the campus GOP members complained about why the café in the student union had to be closed. He wanted an iced mocha.

“Maybe now you’ll appreciate the people you take for granted every day,” I said.

Now, my parents are immigrants from Central America so I admit- I’m biased. But I do have some (distant) relatives who veer towards the conservative party. I’m not adverse to political disagreement. I think a politically diverse culture can enrich our campus. But I feel like the campus GOP just shuts down every thing they don’t agree with. I’m sure there’s a more diplomatic way to get respect on a historically liberal campus. Stepping on people’s religious symbols isn’t the way.

“I definitely expected people to be upset,” said Leigh Wolf, the press informations officer for the College Republicans said about their rally in Malcolm X Plaza on the 17th. “But you know what? I don’t really care what they think of us desecrating the flags of terrorists."

They might want to rethink their PR.