Bake sale raised discussion

n It’s not every day that an associate editor of your student newspaper calls for your expulsion. However, when I read the opinion pages of The Daily Free Press on Feb. 23, this is what I was confronted with. Clynton Namuo’s perspective (“Affirmative action bake sale icing on the cake,” pg. 9, Feb. 23) expressed disgust toward the recent Boston University College Republicans’ affirmative action bake sale. The College Republicans intended to present a provocative and exaggerated example of the potential dangers of affirmative action. Mr. Namuo then demanded intervention by the BU administration, calling for punishment – specifically, my expulsion.

I must say that I find it rather ironic that a “journalist” would call for the expulsion of a fellow student for the use of First Amendment rights. His arguments are flawed and suggestions hypocritical. A journalist would praise the free exchange of information, Clynton Namuo abhors it.

There have been several studies regarding the failures of affirmative action and I could go into detail with them, but this is not the intent of my response. I know that it horrified Mr. Namuo to think that a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. could be used against affirmative action (“I have a dream my … children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”), but allow me to invoke the great leader once again: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent on things that matter.” We must not let our voices become silent on important issues – we must openly engage in discussions without the threat of censorship in the form of punishment. The spirit of Dr. King’s quote ought to ring louder than any one person’s opinion on specific issues.

I commend Mr. Namuo on his presentation of his side of the argument. It was certainly well researched. However, when he advocated censorship of the College Republicans through disciplinary action, he proposed a solution that runs contrary to the spirit of an open exchange of ideas. His proposition that I be punished for expressing the views of a student group is absurd. Am I right to advocate his expulsion for intolerance of free speech?

Mr. Namuo wondered aloud why no minorities come to BU. The truth is that many College Republican organizations around the country have performed nearly identical bake sales. I am humbled that Mr. Namuo would think us to be creative and innovative trend-setters, but these demonstrations are not without precedence. BU is not at any disadvantage at attracting minorities because of an affirmative action bake sale. Furthermore, I wonder whether any person would want to come to a school where a student would essentially advocate very strict censorship and call for the suspension or expulsion of a fellow student for making a political statement.

It is imperative to have an open discourse in order for a democracy to thrive. I would love to talk to Mr. Namuo more about the subject of affirmative action so that we may foster an environment where thoughts are allowed to flourish. Perhaps the goal of a colorblind society can be realized through free speech rather than through censorship.

Andrew Trznadel

CAS ’05

President

BU College Republicans