FRONT PAGE: Over the Years, City Work Force Diversifies
Will BAMN fight to reverse this drop? Berkeley’s Equal Opportunity and Diversity Officer Dennis Feggans told the Daily Cal about the overrepresentation of the black community and the underrepresentation of the Asian and Hispanic communities.
According to the Daily Cal, “Although the city’s black population has dropped to about 15 percent, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, blacks make up more than 19 percent of Berkeley’s officials and managers, according to Feggans…Blacks are also overrepresented in nonmanagement positions in each government sector in Berkeley.”
Compare those facts with the statistics surrounding Asians and Hispanics. The Daily Cal adds, “The story is different for Asian Americans and Hispanics, however. A higher percentage of each group lives in Berkeley than serves in city management positions.”
Does anyone else see the irony here? Perhaps the Asian and Hispanic residents of Berkeley should be wearing the new trendy tees which read: “Overqualified but underrepresented.” What about the buzz word, “majority minority?” No one from DAAP has shouted that to the city council yet. Then again, why should they? Management positions should go to those who are qualified, and skin color is no indication of whether one will do a good job or not.
LETTER: Students Need to Take Note of ‘Scare Tactics’
Who’s afraid of the Berkeley PD? Letter-writers Amber Wise and Martin Mulvihill are. They weigh in on the organized protest against military recruiters during the April 21st career fair, and the opposing rally in support of the military which took place at the same time (neither of which were reported by the Daily Cal). Both praise both sides for expressing their First Amendment rights, but admonish the UC and the Berkeley Police for their role in keeping the peace.
Wise expresses her disapproval of the police presence. She writes, “The disturbing components I’d like to address are: the excessive police force, barricades, backpack searching, ID scanning and videotaping of the crowd that occurred before, during and after the rally.”
In the context of socialism, her disappointment makes perfect sense. No socialist can conceive of an event that is only accessible to those who paid for it. A registered student, distinguishable by a student ID, whose tuition goes to pay for the career fair, obviously has priority access.
The police force and barricades were there to protect those inside the career fair. Security presence was not unwarranted; hostile anti-war protests have taken place in other parts of the country. According to the Seattle PI, a mob of students at the Seattle Central Community College, “chased military recruiters of campus,” in early February of this year. Witnesses reported that water bottles were thrown at the recruiters as they were escorted off campus. Talk about ‘disturbing components.’
Letter writer Martin Mulvihill adds his bitter sweet commentary. He writes, “The free exchange of ideas is the cornerstone of academic institutions, and we should all be working together to create a safe community where ideas and discussion are fostered instead of suppressed.”
But before giving readers his inflated rhetoric, Mulvihill writes, “It’s not surprising after [UC administration] negated student voices by overturning ASUC resolution SB 107—which barred military recruiters from the student union because of their discriminatory hiring policies—a resolution in line with the 2004 appellate court ruling on the matter was passed that said colleges do have the right to ban military recruiters from their campuses.
Kicking off recruiters does not advance the “free exchange of ideas” that Mulvihill cherishes. If Mulvihill wants to work to create a community where “ideas and discussion are fostered instead of suppressed,” why doe he support the suppression of the military’s right to promote the Armed services?
EDITORIAL: A Champion for No one
The Daily Cal editorial board took a shot at State Senator Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside) for sponsoring the Students Bill of Rights, legislation which they feel is a waste of time. They write, “If the idea is also to waste legislative resources and time on pointless bills, more power to him. But if he is actually trying to accomplish anything of value, then the senator should reevaluate what his priorities are.”
Where was the Daily Cal when the Democrats in the State legislature “wasted legislative resources on pointless bills?” Assemblyman Ray Haynes gives us an excellent glimpse of what the Democrats did in the CA legislature to waste taxpayer money. There is SB 1520, a bill authored by former State Sen. John Burton (D-San Francisco) which regulates how ducks used in foie grois are fed. Assemblyman Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) introduced ACR 144, which required all state buildings to be built with “feng shui” considerations. Assemblyman Joe Nation (D- San Rafael) authored AB 2193, a bill that makes sure teens do not go to tanning salons. SB 1226, by Senator Michael Machado (D- Linden), recommended that purple needlegrass should be our official state grass.
The Daily Cal editorial board needs to reevaluate their own priorities and give criticism where it’s due.
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