Controversy over 'diversity' bake sale at UC Berkeley heats up
By Basheer Alas
Sept. 26, 2011 6:20 p.m.
The UC Berkeley College Republicans have announced a bake sale with pastry prices determined by an individual’s race and gender.
The sale, planned for Tuesday, is an attempt to protest an affirmative action bill currently awaiting Gov. Jerry Brown’s signature. It drew unanimous condemnation Sunday from the Associated Students of UC Berkeley.
The group’s Facebook page lists prices ranging from $2 for white males, $1.50 for Asians, $1 for Latinos/Hispanics, 75 cents for African Americans and 25 cents for Native Americans ““ and a 25-cent discount for all women, according to the group’s event post on Facebook.
“Measuring any admit’s merit based on race is intrinsically racist,” said the post. “The pricing structure of the baked goods is meant to be satirical, while urging students to think more critically about the implications of this policy.”
The bake sale is in opposition to SB 185, a bill to allow the University of California and California State University to consider ethnicity in student admissions.
A similar event held at UCLA by the Bruin Republicans in 2003 also stirred up controversy.
