Dahle’s SURE-commitments questionable

By Robert E. Battles II

As the campus prepares once again to show which issues are
significant to us by voting in USAC elections, it is important to
pay attention to whether or not the presidential candidates, as
potential leaders of the campus, can back up their campaign
platforms with concrete experience and work.

What is important to me as a concerned student leader is which
of these candidates truly has a commitment to diversity and
inclusion of students’ voices in USAC.

SURE candidate Dave Dahle claims that his reasons for seeking
the office are rooted in his experiences on council this year. Last
week during his endorsement hearing, Dahle was asked by several
organizations, including the African Student Union, about how he
used his office to address issues important to the African
community. Dahle answered, “I have no experience working on
your issues, but I’m committed to working on them next
year.”

But as academic affairs commissioner, presidential candidate
Bryant Tan approached our organizations and set forth a campaign to
get student body feedback on instituting a Diversity Requirement,
which resulted in several thousand students voicing their opinion
on this issue.

As Dahle claims he is the only candidate that can be inclusive
of diverse perspectives, it is interesting to note that earlier
this year Dahle did not even support USAC’s endorsement of
the ASU sponsored “Take Affirmative Action Day”. In
addition, Dahle failed to follow the lead of the Student
Empowerment! general representatives this year by never once
approaching the African Student Union to seek ways to better
represent our constituency. So is that to say that the African
student voice is not a part of his diverse perspective?

As Dahle is the leader of the SURE slate, I must question his
campaign platform of diversity and student input on council.
Furthermore, as a student leader it is even more upsetting that
Dahle is supported by the Bruin Republicans who actively attempt to
silence the voices of students of color and students who have a
liberal or progressive ideology.

Racist right-winger David Horowitz was invited, along with his
colleague Dinesh D’Souza, by the Bruin Republicans to the
campus for an American Patriotism rally and used this forum to
promote his rhetoric about the benefits of slavery, why
African-Americans should not receive reparations and why anyone not
supporting the U.S.-led war on terrorism is unpatriotic.

As a student body we must recognize who really is working for
campus unity. Student Empowerment! council members organized
quarterly USAC general meetings. USAC organized the Brown Bag
lecture series and fought to solidify funds for the
student-initiated outreach center and programs. Even in the midst
of name-calling and petty politics, the Student Empowerment!
council members rose above the barrage of jealous and misinformed
critics to organize students to actively fight for justice, as well
as provide opportunities for students to take ownership of their
education.

At the very least, I would appreciate it if Dahle would be more
honest in his campaign and admit his candidacy is a tool to
revitalize a crippled conservative approach to organizing around
student issues. While he spurs rhetoric of diversity, he admittedly
says he failed as a general representative to meet his
responsibilities to the broader campus. On the other hand, his
competition, Tan, actively vocalized student concerns on admissions
and curriculum reform committees while providing multiple
opportunities for students to access student government by
appointing students to several committees and providing internship
opportunities for volunteers.

Dahle’s hollow claims to a commitment to diversity and
collection of student input in USAC have no foundation, as proven
by his failure as a general representative to initiate dialogue
with or support the efforts of students of color. Dahle believes
because of his USAC experience he can lead “the most diverse
campus” in the country, yet while a general representative,
he couldn’t work with a council that reflected the diversity
of the campus. I feel his understanding of diversity is bogus and
renders him incapable of backing up the claims of the SURE
slate.

Year after year the students who support the Student
Empowerment! candidates instill their confidence in Student
Empowerment! leadership because they know Student Empowerment! will
address the issues that are significant to the entire student body,
such as USAC access, retention, housing, and a commitment to
diversity.

USAC continues to gain victories in these important areas
because Student Empowerment! candidates have experience working on
these issues prior to their elected term and have always been
capable of uniting with other council members regardless of
political affiliation or ideology.

This shows that Student Empowerment! candidates have a firm
understanding that they are not simply running for titles, but they
are committed to working for and with students. This is why the
majority of the campus, as well as myself, continues to support
them year in and year out.

When it is time to hit those polls this week, be mindful of who
is really trying to serve your needs, and avoid succumbing to
campaign agendas that incite divisiveness and make empty
commitments to diversity and inclusion.