The Struggle for Voice

Today's Developments: Class, Work, Chilling with the UFers, Hanging with Amy, Going out with friends to greet Katherine a happy birthday.

The iHome is currently playing: Cool Calm Pete - Dinner and a Movie

I find myself contemplating the current situation on my campus. I love my campus, but the rhetoric, discourse, and image that it tries to uphold is often the subject of its greatest folly. This school tries to uphold an image of a very diverse and open campus - and it will put all of its effort in making sure that image is marketable, but do nothing to actually make it a reality on the actual grounds itself.

A fellow activist on this campus once said it herself during last year's rally: "I did not know how hard it was to be a minority until coming to this campus." I feel the exact same way.

Recently, the newspaper published an editorial that apparently received a very positive response. In it, the editor spoke about the importance of fighting 'hate speech' with 'good speech,' but lamented over the fact that the school is trying to combat hate incidents by propping up committees and protocols against them. Basically, her problem was against limiting everyone's right to free speech in order to limit the hate on this campus.

You may be very entitled to your opinion, but the very school that you are trying to defend is taking that proverbial duct tape and putting it over the very mouths that are trying to promote the 'good speech.'

Recently, the school has passed campus protocols that inhibit every student's right to assembly. While the sales pitch seemed very nice on the surface (not unlike the way the school is presented in hindsight), the fine print reveals restrictions that were easily overlooked. Students will not be told what can be protested, but it the VPs in Associated Students must know what it is beforehand. Also, the rally may only be held in front of the University Center during the hours of 8am and 10am. Two hours to make known the problems that are on this campus - when everyone is in class.

Should any of these - and many other rules that will not be posted here - be broken, the school has made it clear that they will employ the services of the San Diego Police Department and not only expel the student, but have them publicly arrested.

And they wonder why we have so much to protest. Many people might wonder exactly why we have to fight so hard on this campus, but what they do not realize is that people like these activists are trying to help. Did any of you stop to think of it that way? Every student leaves behind a legacy - those who are in constant fights are trying to make sure that those coming in the future will reap in the success. They are trying to fight for the practicing of the very values that the school attempts to market. There are definitely groups on this campus that feel less than welcome in an environment that supposedly strives for positive values and qualities - but all you want to say about it is 'why don't you just go to another school then?'

You're not helping. And that response basically encompasses everything that is wrong with the campus climate. There is a definite mixture of diverse cultures on this campus, but their true representation is very limited. And they flock to the food that is available, whatever culture it is, and half-heartedly watch the talents of those people that, every single day, feel overlooked and segregated. It's bad when we can only look forward to just a few days out of the whole school year to actually feel like we matter. We're not here to entertain you, nor will we be branded as only such.

I know of a few people already that are definitely transferring after just their first year here - and that's already few too many. And if you ask these students why, they will all say the same thing: 'I don't feel very welcome here.'

Them - "Why do you have to protest so much?"
Us - "Why do you give us so much to protest about?"

Them - "I don't even really see what the issue is."
Us - "That's exactly the issue."

There may be a fear growing in the majority that all this discussion and activism will lead to limits on speech. Well I'm sorry, but you've limited our very identities for far too long now.