Opinion: Letter
Editorial Editors’ claims insulting
Looking for a print version?
Simply use your browser’s ‘Print’ command and a printer-friendly document will be generated automatically.
Also by Claire Rydell:
- Decline in youth turnout an American embarassment (September 26, 2008)
- Climate change implications too dire to ignore (September 12, 2008)
- Editorial Editors' claims insulting (September 10, 2008)
- Elections cannot stop unity (April 17, 2008)
Sharing tools:
E-mail this article:
Although the College Democrats wish to be as civil as possible with the campus newspapers and other organizations, the op-ed piece in The Badger Herald, “Cynical Dems screw campus,” severely mischaracterizes the College Democrats’ intentions and goals as an organization. When the College Democrats declined to participate in a formal Herald-sponsored debate or town hall-style meeting this fall with the College Republicans, it was the result of a reasoned decision based on how we wanted to educate students about the issues and engage in a real dialogue about the upcoming elections.
The 2008-09 executive board of College Democrats felt last year’s debate was a flashy spectacle that focused too much on talking points and conflict as opposed to an actual discussion of the issues. That is why, this year, the College Democrats do not want to waste precious time preparing for a debate few students will bother to attend. Instead, we will engage the student body in a real discussion of the issues. We proposed having our executive board and others from our membership leading an informal discussion with students. Our idea is an actual dialogue with students rather than an orchestrated battle between the politicos on campus.
We want the November elections to be more than choosing between two sides, over-simplifying the issues to win an argument and making politics a theatrical or sporting event. Politics can, and should be, more than a marvelous spectacle. Politics should be about the issues — the ones facing real people like you and me every single day.
Yes, our goal for this November is to elect Democrats up and down the ticket — perhaps not all that shocking considering the name of our organization. But we also have to ask ourselves what our long-term, big-picture goal is. I believe we have a duty to help encourage political discourse on this campus with the hope that we will carry our passion for politics into the next phase of life. After all, is it not discourse between all citizens — every single one — that helps to keep a democracy healthy?
Formal debate in and of itself is a wonderful and important thing, but perhaps this fall is the time to try something innovative and imaginative rather than the same old political game Sam Clegg and Jack Craver ironically accused the College Democrats of playing in their op-ed piece. This fall, the student body will have the chance to sit back and watch Sens. McCain and Obama debate each other — three times. We’ll even have the chance to watch Sen. Biden and Gov. Palin defend their party’s respective platforms! But when will the student body have the chance to engage one another directly in an environment conducive to discussion? Because of the absence of such dialogue, the College Democrats will be hosting some informal “Real Issues For Real People” nights this fall, and I encourage everyone who is interested in a deeper understanding of the issues to attend and participate.
I appreciate the Herald’s sincere attempt to hold a debate or town hall-style, and I recognize the time and energy both they and the College Republicans invested in the idea. I also believe there is a correct time for the chairs of the College Republicans and College Democrats to stand up and represent our organizations in a formal debate. But this fall, we will be investing our time and energy in directly engaging the students in a new, innovative way.
Claire Rydell is chair of the University of Wisconsin College Democrats.
11 Comments | Leave a comment
Leave a comment
Herald Blogs
The Beat Goes On
Brother Ali makes an ‘Exclusive’ stop
Muckrakers
Report: Barrett to make decision by the end of the week
Extra Points
Top Classified Ads (view all)
720 CLARK Court: 3 bedroom house + den. You can easily fit 4 people people in this awesome house! $1750 Call 257-7368.
LANGDON AREA Housing: Studios through five bedrooms available 8/16/2010. All apartments offer lake/pier access. Most units include heat. Call 257-7368.
HOUSES FOR Fall 2010. All houses are on W Dayton or N Bassett. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 bedrooms. All have parking. madisoncampusrentals.com
I was so looking forward to hearing the exact moment a soul enters the body, why welfare moms are such deadbeats to society, how 5 years in a POW camp hones one’s presidential readiness (unless running against an inexperienced Texas governor with a famous last name), how earmarks are hurting America (unless they’re for your district), and how one party is more patriotic (and likely has larger penises).
Braaaaaawwwwwwk!!!!!
Somebody’s chicken, which is really surprising given the incompetence of the College Republicans here.
“When the College Democrats declined to participate in a formal Herald-sponsored debate or town hall-style meeting this fall with the College Republicans, it was the result of a reasoned decision based on how we wanted to educate students about the issues and engage in a real dialogue about the upcoming elections.”
TRANSLATION: “We College Democrats are wussies. We’re so afraid that liberalism isn’t as hip as it was ten years ago and we’ll just get booed and shouted down, maybe even have feces and urine thrown at us and the janitors will makes us clean it all up and…”
Long comments are ignored, so I’ll wrap this up quickly: The “Real Issues Real People” thing will have a low attendance, and is about as innovative and new as Joe Biden is to the Senate. I’d say more, but I think I may write my column on this.
Former College Dem Executive Board Member Gerald Cox
What did you really expect, Claire? They’re a bunch of hacks!
Daily Cardinal forever!
I think there should be a debate on why Palin seems to have orange skin.
While formal debate does have it’s place, anyone who attended the debate last spring hosted by the Badger Herald would have to agree that it was more of a show than an earnest discussion of issues. I would be interested to hear if anyone who attended that debate could honestly claim to have been educated on issues beyond the knowledge they already had when they walked in the door or have experienced any change in their political stance as a result of what they heard.
If the Herald wants to host another debate which amounts to each group trying to fill the most seats to make sure their cheering section is louder, go ahead, and I will probably attend. However, don’t try to pass that off as the best forum this campus can offer to present conflicting political ideas.
Maybe if everybody stopped getting upset about what the right said about the left and what the left said about the right there would be time to actually change public policy. Stop covering your asses and start paying attention to real issues. What a waste of space in the newspaper!
I hope she didn’t waste time informing voters of real issues by taking time to write this letter to the editor.
I loved this response. Eloquently worded, and swift as a gazelle.
Wow, the liberals don’t wanna get up and fight, there’s a new tactic for them. I guess that they are getting nervous that students hearing another side to the debate that doesn’t have the word “change” said every four words would actually resonate in the part of them that actually cared about the issues.