First of all, let me say that today’s Ol’ Dirty is full of gems. I suggest you pick up a copy.

I’m here today, however, to talk to you about one of the most absurd acts of protest I’ve ever heard. Last night’s ASUO Senate meeting did not carry on as planned, due to lack of quorum (to be a legitimate voting body, the ASUO Senate needs two thirds of its members present, or 13 people). They were planning on having exactly quorum, until Sen. Jairo Castañeda failed to show up without notification. His reason? I’ll let Tomchak’s article speak for itself:

Castaneda said his absence was a deliberate attempt to make a statement about an incident at the April 28 Senate meeting.

There, the Senate gave the club women’s lacrosse team funding to go to its national championship in Scottsdale, Ariz. While voting for the funding, Sen. Ben Fisher told members of the team to “bring your birth certificates,” a reference to Arizona’s recently passed immigration law, which critics have said will lead to racial profiling.

“I believe that was highly disrespectful,” Castaneda said after the comment, at which many senators and audience members laughed.

Fisher said the comment was intended as a joke criticizing the Arizona law, which he, like Castaneda, opposes.

“The whole reason for me not going to tonight’s Senate meeting was not Fisher,” Castaneda said. “It was the climate that allows things like this to be said.”

The best part of all of this is the only group who had time constraints on receiving money was the Multicultural Center, a group largely considered to be the greatest advocate for marginalized communities:

The only group seeking funding whose members said it needs the money before the Senate’s next meeting was the Multicultural Center, looking to pay for two speakers coming May 12 and 13. [Senate President Nick] Gower told the MCC’s representatives the Senate would hold a special meeting for them if necessary.

“Unfortunately, a few senators who don’t want to represent their constituents are the reason we don’t have quorum tonight,” Gower said.

Sen. Gower really hit the nail on the head there. You want to talk about respect, Sen. Castañeda? Not allowing a public meeting to go on as scheduled and postponing potential funding for at least seven student groups is, to quote Sen. Ben Fisher, “stupid,” as well as one of the most asinine forms of protest I’ve heard of. You are an ASUO Senator, and it is your job to show up to your meetings and dole out student money. So do your job, or get the fuck out.

P.S. I saw you last night at the bars while you were supposed to be serving the student body. Real classy.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 6th, 2010 at 10:17 by Lyzi Diamond and is filed under ASUO, Crazy, Stupid. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.