Thursday, March 31st 2005
ASUC thinks it matters
This just in from IndyBay, the ASUC has passed two separate bills sponsored by the Defend Affirmative Action Party.
Number One: Bill Opposing Anti-LGBTQ Discrimination and in Support of Removing Military Recruiters from UC Berkeley (.DOC link)
The ASUC calls on Chancellor Birgeneau, the UC-Berkeley administration, and the UC Regents to take measures to bar military recruiters from UC-Berkeley and throughout the UC system, taking into account the federal appeals court ruling in FAIR v. Rumsfeld. These measures should include public statements, legal action, and an immediate ban.
The ASUC shall deny the use of ASUC facilities and assets to military recruiters.
The ASUC condemns in the strongest possible terms discrimination and attacks against LGBTQ people of any kind.
The ASUC calls on the U.S. military to immediately revoke its discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
Number Two: Resolution to End the U.S. Colonial Occupation of Iraq and for Democracy in Iraq (.DOC link)
The ASUC condemns the ongoing U.S. military occupation of Iraq and calls for ending this occupation now.
The ASUC supports the right of the Iraqi people to determine their own national destiny. The ASUC calls for free, democratic elections in Iraq to form a new constitution and government without the interference of the United States or any other foreign power.
Furthermore, the ASUC supports the full and equal participation of women in all aspects of Iraqi political life and recognizes the right to national self-determination of the Kurdish people in Iraq.
The IndyBay commentary:
On March 30, 2005 the UC Berkeley ASUC Senate unanimously passed a resolution denying military recruiters use of facilities and assets because of their discriminatory policies.
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In what may become a historic step in the anti-war effort, as well as the LGBT movement, the Associated Students of the University of California at UC Berkeley have unanimously passed a resolution denying military recruiters use of facilities and assets because of the military’s discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
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Much of the success of this resolution can be attributed to the November 2004 FAIR v. Rumsfeld ruling by the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. The ruling states that universities may bar military recruiters from their campuses without risking the loss of federal money, which had been a major deterrent in anti-recruitment efforts.
ASUC’s second bill is basically useless waste of time…who the hell in Congress is going to listen to that?! They should pass something more worthwhile like a bill to lower our tuition.
Comment by Henry Cheng — 3/31/2005 @ 1:51 am
I’d like to see a system where people decided whether or not to belong to ASUC. Dues would be voluntary. I can imagine just everyone would choose to fund the Third World Liberation Front.
Comment by Scott — 3/31/2005 @ 8:33 am
I wonder what the vote count was on the second bill. I don’t plan on voting for any party who voted for the bill condemning Iraq simply to make a point to the ASUC that they should be doing their job, not Congress’s.
Comment by John Romano — 3/31/2005 @ 4:52 pm