We are all angry. It’s understandable; who wouldn’t be angry about budget cuts, furloughs, and large classes? We students have a legitimate gripe, our education is the future of the CSU, and everyone should hear our concerns! The problem is…we don’t voice these concerns.
For much of the past, students, as a group, have been the most apathetic group when it comes to politics. We don’t make phone calls, we don’t write letters, and we certainly don’t vote. Political decisions don’t affect me, why should I care?
That answer has seemed to have crept up on us and knocked us to the ground. Our inactivity has resulted in a legislature and governor that sees us as an expense, instead of an investment. It has caused us to have to scramble to fight back, instead of being at the ready.
I wish that I could be less gloomy, but it is true. We don’t react, so it keeps on happening. Luckily, there is a way to start to get our voices heard.
For the last two weeks there have been student protests on campus either through rallies or with a sit-in in the library. These are good, but only get us so far. What needs to happen is that we need to consolidate this energy and focus it towards the ones that have caused this, the legislature and governor.
There are many ways to do this. The first is write letters to our representatives. When I say this, I don’t mean to local ones, Assemblyman Chesbro and Senator Wiggins. They are already on our side. What I mean is our representative from where we come from in California. Most of us come from outside this area and it is time those representatives heard from us. Writing letters does work, staffers read them and when enough letters come in, they tell the legislator to start paying attention.
So, write your representatives letters, have your parents write them letters, even have your grandparents write them letters. If everyone takes the time to write just one, it will make a difference. Associated Students will even give you their address and mail them for you! It is that easy.
Call and visit those offices as well. What better time than during Thanksgiving or winter break to visit those who will make this year’s holidays a little more bittersweet. Give them a piece of your mind!
Lastly, is to start paying attention to the 2010 Governor’s race. There is no more influential person with the budget than the governor. They all want your vote, make them earn it. Call their campaign offices, watch the debates, and visit their website and find out what they have to say about higher education. To get you started, here are their websites:
Jerry Brown (D): jerrybrown.org. Tom Campbell (R): campbell.org.
Steve Poizner (R): stevepoizner.com.
Meg Whitman (R): megwhitman.com
It is time to start getting involved and show that students are a force to be reckoned with. California is made in the CSU, let’s make sure they understand that.
1 comments
and have these "Queer fests" on campus. I'm here for an education, not a Queer Fest. I feel sullied by that event.I'm disappointed in President Richmond for letting this stuff go on. Close all the colleges and we'll learn someplace else. Plenty of money for Queer Fests, but not so much for education.