The UNITE! party and its supporters did not lose this past Thursday. I think we won. Clearly, we did not literally win the election, but our impact has and will be felt. Call it socialism, anarchism, the best thing you've ever heard, or the worst thing you've ever heard; whatever you call it, you cannot deny that we ran a truly radical ticket. Radical in the sense that we advocated for grassroots democratic change, true power to the people. We were outspent almost 20:1, less experienced, and under-endorsed. Even against these odds, we got about one-third of the voting body to say, yes. I want to give myself a chance and I am ready for something new on our campus. This is truly a win. One-third of the voting student body came together and said they are tired of being falsely represented, and they are ready to represent themselves.
Since the election, I have had so many people tell me they believe in what we are working toward. I have had more strangers Facebook me, stop me on the street and e-mail me to say what we are doing is important. Even those on opposing sides of the fence, be it the iOU ticket, current senators or even administrators, have told me not to give up. They have said that what we are doing on this campus is important. It is significant. We are making a difference. So, I want to make something clear: We are not giving up, and I can say with certainty I am not going to quit.
I have been asked, encouraged and told to apply for a commissioner spot. Even though I appreciate the thought, I can't help but think those people have not been paying attention to what I have said. I do not believe in Student Senate's ability to effect change on this campus. I thought that if I could change the system, alter the power dynamic and empower students through the process, then maybe it could have an affect on our campus. However, that is not going to happen (next year). I will not apply for a commissioner spot, because I do not believe in the value of it. Would that build my résumé? Sure. Would it make a difference on this campus or in my community? Doubtful at best. I realize there is importance in having an opposing view on senate, and for that reason I encourage UNITE! members to apply. However, it is not for me. The system is fatally flawed, because of clear opposition from elected senators to alter fundamentally the structure of senate, and I have no interest in trying to work within a broken framework.
For every administrator, senator or anyone else who let out a sigh of relief when we lost, please know that your sigh was misplaced. I consider myself a community organizer, and as a community organizer I will work every day, every night, to foster an equal, just and democratic society. I will continue my work through Students for a Democratic Society to affect things on this campus, and will dedicate myself to creating change.
To those of you who have been elected onto senate: Congratulations. I hope I am wrong and that you show me and the student body that you can represent them, that you can stand up to authority, and that you can affect governance on this campus. In order to do that, I think it is important to realize something Robert Leary said during the last debate was wrong when he said it is not Student Senate's role to be activists. Just like in the national political system, we face serious problems when politicians stop being activists and start being bureaucrats. You are not bureaucrats. Do your job, advocate for students, become activists on this campus, and don't fall into the same old routine of senators in years past. Please, prove me wrong.
Molly Shea is a junior studying environmental geography. She was also the presidential candidate for Unite!
4 Opinion
Letter to the Editor
