Denouncing demonstrators purposefully dodges issues

Thursday, May 28, 1998

Denouncing demonstrators purposefully dodges issues

LAWS: Bruin Republican response to protest shows desire to
ignore problems

By Dominic Carrillo

I’m writing this in response to MacLane Key’s article in
Thursday’s Daily Bruin ("Protests demonstrate contrasting ways to
send message"). The article gave me the sense of a young Republican
who was uncomfortable with the fact that everyone just wasn’t
"getting along" in front of Royce Hall last Tuesday. Needless to
say, I had a number of problems with Key’s critical denunciation of
Affirmative Action Coalition (AAC) and African Student Union (ASU)
protesters’ conduct in comparison to the Bruin Republicans and
Young Americans for Freedom’s so-called "civility" in their
"protest."

First of all, the Bruin Republicans and Young Americans
(ostensibly "for freedom" – whose freedom they’re speaking of, I’m
not exactly clear on) were not protesters, but rather supporters of
Proposition 209. This would explain why they expressed no signs of
anger, discontentment or frustration. On the other hand, the ASU
and AAC justifiably expressed their dissatisfaction with the
drastic decline of ethnic minorities accepted by UCLA for next
year. The demonstrators were indignant about the unjust legislation
(Proposition 209) represented by Chancellor Carnesale’s
administration, and thus acted accordingly, as would Thoreau or
Gandhi.

More specifically, Key castigated the ASU and AAC as if they
were criminals for "(calling for UCLA) to violate the law." I say
if a law is unjust, then break it. That’s how one can demonstrate
their love for the "freedom and equality" of the United States – by
demanding that those human rights granted to all under the
Constitution be upheld by direct action. It’s unfortunate that
these types of protests are necessary to insure the rights of the
historically oppressed. About 43 years ago in Montgomery, Ala., an
African American woman named Rosa Parks violated the law – not by
sitting in the white section of the bus, but by refusing to move
back a row so that there would be a row of separation between the
white and African American sections. This single act of civil
disobedience helped foment the desegregation of the South and the
Civil Rights movement. Would Key (and his "freedom-loving"
Republican constituency) have denounced Ms. Parks too?

Moreover, Key proceeded to criticize the ASU and AAC protesters
for accepting support from "communist groups." Excuse me, but
didn’t the Cold War end almost a decade ago? Wasn’t Joseph
McCarthy’s heyday back in the 1950s? Note: there is nothing
inherently or ideologically evil or immoral about communism. Sorry,
but the world can no longer be simply split between the bad guy
communists and the good guy capitalists.

In addition, Key positioned himself in the racist tradition of
former Alabama governor George Wallace and Mayor Richard Daley by
calling the ASU and AAC "uncivilized children." Are you kidding me?
Key then went on to identify the Republican constituency as
"civilized" and "respectful." Here’s a question for you: How
civilized and respectful is it to deny ethnic groups equal
opportunities under subtly racist laws? Furthermore, the article
had the audacity to label the protesters as "a few spoiled college
kids."

I guess some people just don’t get it. Most of the Proposition
209 protesters are demonstrating because this law denies
opportunity for minorities to further their education. It breaks
down like this: Ethnic minorities have been historically
underrepresented at the university level, systematically
discriminated against in society in general and disproportionately
shoved into the lower classes as a result. So, I’m willing to bet
your assumption that the protesters were all "spoiled college kids"
was colossally incorrect.

These students were fighting for their right to opportunity and
upward mobility, not attempting to protect the privileges you so
cherish. In this respect, it’s a class issue too, and the
protesters may be overlooking the class status factor in favor of
the racial preference issue only. Race is definitely significant,
but economic background is also tantamount to better opportunity in
this country. Therefore, I don’t wholeheartedly support affirmative
action, but do believe it’s much better than the alternative of
Proposition 209. I feel inclined to draw some analogies here about
uneven playing fields and historical oppression, but I’ll save that
for another day.

For the time being, I think the protest was a relative success.
The protesters were able to draw considerable local media attention
(the buzz of the helicopters made me feel at home), and were
granted a meeting with Chancellor Carnesale. Nevertheless, it’s
truly a shame that marginalized ethnic groups in the United States
must continue to fight for the basic rights of equality that others
simply take for granted.