Comments on: ‘Students for a democratic voice’ coalition emerges before Student Government Association election

By: Justin

Justin — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:46:24 +0000

The Umass community is suffering from re-segregation you have that right. Students for a democratic voice seems like a step in the right direction – so long as they are true to their goals. Creating an inclusive influential coalition that is diverse to begin with, seems precisely like it would be the only way to actually fight racism, as opposed to just swinging the pendulum the other way. Also without an explicit hierarchy the constituents are free to establish their goals how they please and hopefully shouldn’t be subject to a more racially based or ideologically based agenda coalescing in the upper ranks. Perhaps even senators who disagree on policy can work together under this umbrella to establish something resembling non-racial politics. We’ve gone for so long fighting racism by pitting the races against each other, naively thinking that if we artificially engineer them equivalently they would become equal. Affirmative Action doesn’t sound bad in theory but it didn’t work and for quite obvious reasons, now move over and let some others try. An idea like this in national politics would be wonderful.
With Khanna already being a high profile figure, naturally people will assume his influence as no organization can remain without something resembling a hierarchy for long. Khanna may not understand the executive branch but he does a hell of a job as a legislator, especially when acting as an underdog. Go SDV

By: Derek Khanna

Derek Khanna — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:52:51 +0000

Mr. Cutting,

I am not leading it, it is a network of individuals with no such leadership structure.

This is nothing like segregation, that is preposterous. Our network has men and woman, Massachusetts and non-Massachusetts residents, Commuter students and on campus students, and we have members who are Chinese, Indian, African-American, Latino, and white students. We are a group of individuals of various political perspectives. We are the answer to the previous racial lines in the SGA, because we don’t believe in race-based politics.

I have been told that I’m not an Indian because I don’t vote as an Indian, this is exactly what we are against. We don’t believe any person should be compelled to feel one way politically because of the color of their skin.

But if I am mistaken in your allegations Mr.Cutting then please inform me. Our goal it to represent all students on campus. This is why we sponsored the online elections referendum to allow for greater enfranchisement of Commuter students. We believe in transparency, we believe in accountability, we believe that it is time for the student government to be a student government as opposed to a student activist group.

By: Ed Cutting

Ed Cutting — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:58:53 +0000

This is the old “Pro Student Caucus” with a new name – although I am not so sure if Khanna is the ideal person to be leading it…

And is anyone else disturbed by how SGA politics break down along racial lines? There was the era of intergration and now we are entering a new era of segregation.