Column:

Fining minority candidates shows flaws

By Dan Friesen

Published Nov. 8, 2006

I see the worm is turning.

This week, a story ran on the front page of our beloved paper that warmed the cockles of my heart. It turns out that Missouri Students Association presidential and vice presidential candidates Sameera Ali and Kelley Robinson might be fined out of the race ("MSA slate might have 'fined-out' of election," Nov. 3)

Now, it didn't warm my heart because of any personal animus for either candidate; rather, here we see a perfect and genuine example of what I have been saying all along. This system is flawed. I have a good amount of respect for Robinson for her refusal to pay the fines.

"We think they (the fines) are a waste of time," she said in the article.

I am proud of her for realizing this, but it pains me that it took her this long to figure that out. It will pain her to have to pay that $300 fine and not be able to win the election. The fact is that when she signed on to run she knew what the finable offenses were and agreed to play by MSA's stupid rules. She, it appears, failed to do so and has to pay the fiddler.

You see, all these fines do is make sure anyone who will be allowed the slightest chance of winning the election is someone with no backbone — someone who will mindlessly follow all of the rules. Dancing for the man, marching in lockstep with the administration.

The Board of Elections Commissioners, the enforcement arm of MSA, can effectively assure that all the candidates will do exactly what the board says, never daring to get out of line in the slightest way.

Again, I call bullshit. We, the student body, cannot stand for this. Grassroots polling shows that Ali and Robinson were the clear frontrunners to win the election, but now, it appears they won't even be on the ballot. Is anyone asking why?

My humble theory is a simple one, but one that people are afraid to talk about. I believe MSA (and its cronies in the BEC) aren't ready for a minority female president.

For all their talk of diversity, they are shaking in their boots at the prospect of a "double-minority" being in charge of their glorious organization. Come on, I have seen campaign fliers thrown up over other campaign fliers all over campus. Yet, coincidentally, only the minority candidates are in hot water over this. I am sickened.

People, seriously. Who cares about MSA's oppressive campaign rules? If you support Ali and Robinson, write an e-mail to the MSA Senate on the days of the election voting for them. If you support me, write the Senate an e-mail voting for me. The bottom line is that we don't need those douche bags telling us whom we can or can't vote for.

That's it. I figure my editor left off about 100 words from my last column — so this week, I'll do the job for him. Hey, Sam Baker; if you need to fill in the space, go ahead and write something yourself.