The Affirmative Action Bake Sale held by the College Republicans was one of the most obtuse political statements I have ever witnessed. The claim that affirmative action undermines merit based admissions process is nonsensical and inaccurate. If the College Republicans feel that this as an issue of merit, when are they going to have a bake sale that allows legacies and athletes to pay less than other students? They won’t! Doing so would imply that all of the legacies and athletes at Boston University do not deserve to be here. Republicans understand the delicacy of race relations in America and this is why they choose to only highlight the racial components of affirmative action. Since the 1960’s, white middle class women have benefited more from affirmative action than any other group. War veterans and disabled citizens are also among the top beneficiaries. For some reason, the College Republicans choose to ignore these facts. As a white male fortunate enough to have experienced a privileged upbringing, I am a staunch supporter of affirmative action. I can respect the educated views of those who oppose affirmative action, but I have no tolerance for those who refuse to discuss the issue honestly. The College Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for trying to hoodwink the uninformed by oversimplifying this complicated social issue.

Peter Tinti CAS ’04 Treasurer of BU 4 John Kerry

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