OPINION & EDITORIAL
Judge represents students, deserves your vote for Alder
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Also by Guest Columnist:
- Stop America's 'green scare' (December 10, 2007)
- Greek sexuality misconceptions unfair (December 6, 2007)
- Security fee shows UWPD's prejudice (December 6, 2007)
- Vote Democrat, vote equal LGBT rights (December 6, 2007)
- Free trade stagnates upward mobility (December 6, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Judge for District 8? (March 22, 2007)
- Eshraghi or King (February 15, 2005)
- Woods deserves students' vote for aldermanic race (February 22, 2007)
- Go vote! (March 22, 2007)
- Diverse experiences make Woods best choice (March 27, 2007)
by Guest Columnist
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
For the first time in four years, University of Wisconsin students will have a new voice in our city government. Austin King's tenure has highlighted the power that students can have; indeed, King is the outgoing president of Madison's City Council — no small feat for the student representative.
Two candidates intend to replace King. Lauren Woods, a former president of the Black Student Union, will face off against Eli Judge, the chair of Students for a Fair Wisconsin. Both are qualified, intelligent leaders that will represent students well in the next two years. Although the race will without a doubt focus on their different experiences and ideas, both are respected, articulate and passionate student leaders that have a great deal in common.
The College Democrats welcome a spirited, issue-oriented debate over the future of the 8th District and Madison as a whole. We greatly appreciate the ideas like neighborhood policing that Woods brings to the table, and value the insight that she brings to this race as a person of color. At our own university, race-related issues, ranging from hate crimes to unacceptable retention rates of minority students, only underscore the need for strong voices that leaders like Woods provide in our ongoing search for true progress.
Eli Judge also brings many positives to the table, and has built a strong record as a recognizable campus leader through his valuable work against the gay-marriage ban. Ultimately, either candidate will excel as an alder. Last night, our general membership, following an informational debate between the two candidates, voted to endorse Eli Judge in the 8th District. The College Democrats feel that due to Judge's record as a student leader, his emphasis on reaching out to students and student leaders and his commitment to improving campus safety, he is the best choice for 8th District alder.
Most students are familiar with Judge due to the November elections. Indeed, as the cofounder and chair of Students for a Fair Wisconsin, Judge built an organization with more than 300 active members in a relatively short timeframe. His work and emphasis on the power that students can wield at the ballot box led to the one of the highest midterm turnouts at UW. The College Democrats were proud to serve alongside him and Fair Wisconsin, and we were daily inspired by the energy that he brought to our collective efforts.
But what is truly impressive is his ability to bring students together. Judge initially served as the "student organization director" for the group Students for Equality (which later changed names to Students for a Fair Wisconsin), and in this role sought out allies in the amendment fight. After his peers expressed confidence in his leadership by elevating him to chair, he continued reaching out to organizations across campus. He also showed enthusiasm for working with students of all political backgrounds. It is this ability to bridge difficult divides and build consensus that will serve him well as he represents us on the Common Council.
It is no surprise that he has already brought students together in the early days of his campaign. Judge has specifically sought out leaders and experts on the various issues that are facing our campus. From business owners to labor leaders to campus safety experts in organizations like PAVE and at the Rape Crisis Center, Judge is going straight to the source to craft solutions to the most serious problems — instead of automatically taking stances based on politics or partisanship. He is also eagerly listening to the students he wishes to represent, which only highlights his desire to truly serve as the campus voice by taking our ideas and needs directly to the city government.
Judge also understands the seriousness of campus safety. If elected, Eli will enact a campus-wide safety network similar to the Langdon Street Watch Program. He will also work with Madison leaders to fund increased lighting with higher-watt bulbs, and use the lighting system along Observatory Drive as a model for the rest of campus. Expanding transportation options like SAFE Nighttime Services, in combination with higher law enforcement presence in areas where recent assaults and muggings have taken place, is also part of his comprehensive plan. Judge also plans to facilitate improved communications between UW administration, Madison police and students to raise awareness about the risks on our campus.
The stakes may never be higher in the 8th District; it faces issues including Halloween, tenants' rights, transportation issues and increased danger at night. Both Lauren and Eli are qualified to address these problems. We are more confident, however, in the promise Eli holds, and encourage all students to stand with us to elect Eli Judge as our representative on the City Council.
Eli Lewien is the chair of the College Democrats of Madison.
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 2:48am):
Haha! This was so CLEARLY written prior to the actual vote - what a joke of a rigged process. If the College Dems were anything but an insular, self-important clique, we might take this seriously. Wow.
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 9:49am):
Well done! Go Eli!. How do I get involved?
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 11:07am):
Regardless to your thoughts on the College Dems, oh angry anonymous commenter, how does that change the fact that Eli Judge is "so CLEARLY" the better choice?
That's right, it doesn't.
But I'm sure he'll gladly accept your congratulations on April 3rd.
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 11:38am):
join the facebook group!
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 11:58am):
Actually, as someone who knows the writer, this was done during the state of the union. How do you like 'dem apples, mr or miss anonymous?
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 11:59am):
Eli, as someone who worked with you during Students for Equality, I'm so proud of you! You've been a great friend, an awesome leader, and you doing this makes all of us really happy. Good luck!
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 12:46pm):
I just don't understand why you'd ever call out an 'angry ANONYMOUS commenter' with an anonymous post of your own.
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 1:08pm):
Just a reflection about King's tenure: His handling of the Midvale Plaza redevelopment was an insult to community autonomy and neighborhood self-government. The redevelopment is going to be a huge environmental disaster, when the dust finally settles. So much for King's 'commitment' to being green-friendly.
I hope the next representative will have a little more interest in listening to the concerns of Madisonians outside the district.
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 1:28pm):
One thing was eminently clear last night -- Eli takes the time to listen to students about what is important to them. For her own sake, I hope Woods is listening to people other than Austin King and Ashok Kumar.
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 2:14pm):
One thing was eminently clear last night -- Eli takes the time to listen to students about what is important to them. For her own sake, I hope Woods is listening to people other than Austin King and Ashok Kumar.
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 3:30pm):
Oh, the hackery on badgerherald.com has started anew! Insiders jostling with other anonymous insiders to score points with the ZERO voters that read these messages!
To think this endorsement matters at all is as silly as declaring Woods the winner just because her Facebook group is 30% larger than Judge's.
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 3:30pm):
"I hope the next representative will have a little more interest in listening to the concerns of Madisonians outside the district."
Then Eli Judge is your man. He's a man of the people, or, he cares about whatever anyone on the street tells him to care about.
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 8:25pm):
To turn this more positive I just want to say that I worked with Eli in the Fall and he is one of the NICEST people I've ever met. I think he'll be a great representative of the students and I'm so happy for him!
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 8:37pm):
Kudos to the 1:28 and 2:14 duplicate poster who got too impatient waiting for the post to be approved by the moderator.
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 10:11pm):
I KNOW I am not the only black student voting for Judge. Okay, so I don't get involved with the BSU and other worthy organizations, but I don't care about the skin color, I care about being safe!
Anonymous (January 24, 2007 @ 11:51pm):
To Anonymous 10:11, you are so clearly a white person that it makes me really sad to think about you sitting at your computer typing a comment pretending to be black, and not recognizing the really sick perversion that's involved in doing so. Seek help. Seriously.
Anonymous (January 25, 2007 @ 12:07am):
Based on the debate at the College Dems meeting, Lauren Woods actually has the skills to be an effective leader on the City Council.
We are fortunate enough at UW to have both a city council and county board district that are, for all intents and purposes, student seats. We could settle for token representation, or we could make sure that the person who represents District 8 on the city council can provide a student-positive voice AND can provide leadership to the council. Lauren Woods can do both.
I look forward to having such a bright, talented and politically experienced alderwoman representing my neighborhood.
Anonymous (January 25, 2007 @ 1:11am):
To 11:51, because black can be seen through text? Stereotyping, are we?
Woods and Judge are both qualified, all of you should shut up. The winner will have the most friends and we all know it.
Anonymous (January 25, 2007 @ 1:11am):
Would you all shut up and get over the fact that the College Democrats made an endorsement - SO WHAT. Go out and hit the doors like you should be if you are going to win this petty fight. This is local politics, it is dirty, but mudslinging doesn't win votes.
Anonymous (January 25, 2007 @ 1:12am):
Ashok Kumar is in bed with Austin King ... poor Woods is a puppet led by two jokers.
Anonymous (January 25, 2007 @ 1:59am):
To the person who wrote the black student thing: Okay, Eli Judge and the people running his campaign are not idiots. One of them lives with me and he pretty sharp. I wonder if someone from Woods' campaign wrote it...
just a though.
Anonymous (January 25, 2007 @ 2:01am):
Anyone who calls the College Democrat meeting a "debate" is misinformed. They answered 6-8 questions, with only 2 or 3 being fair. One question asked was "how do you feel about making the council all white?"
That one was for Woods, right?
Anonymous (January 25, 2007 @ 4:57pm):
And the questions lobbed out there for Eli:
'How are you going to represent the campus gay community?'
'What labor unions have endorsed you?'
'Can you name three speakers who spoke at College Dems meetings last year?'
Anonymous (January 26, 2007 @ 1:11am):
Jesus Christ, you people need to lay off of an endorsement. Go and work on a campaign if you care so much.
Anonymous (March 17, 2007 @ 4:26am):
Both would do fine but Woods clearly has more experience with student organizations and working with people of different socio-economic and racial backgrounds. Like the college dems, Eli is just too one-dimensional in terms of who he is serving. Plus, I hate to say it but he's also a little too SELF-involved.
Anonymous (April 8, 2007 @ 12:31am):
Eli Judge has done more for campus, and worked with more student organizations than Lauren Woods could even name. I'm glad he won.
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