Letter: College Republicans offend with cheap ploy

Dear Editor,

If there was any instance of me turning red during this election, it’s because I was scarlet with anger. The College Republicans on our campus drove me, and many other students, past our boiling points. I’m pretty moderate in most cases when it comes to politics. Had the Young Democrats done the same thing, it would have bothered me too. First of all, back in September the College Republicans painted the rock in memoriam of Sept. 11, complete with their trademark, “<3, the College Republicans.”

Hold up one minute. I’m sorry, but the tragedy of Sept. 11 does not belong to one select, elite group of people, and it is disgusting that they would take ownership of this event by declaring their namesake upon the rock. It was a tasteless ploy to get their names out there and to make sure that we all know, as the modern GOP is famous for doing, that the Right is for true Americans.

Second, the bloodbath that was their campaign in 2010 was absolutely ridiculous. Although the club, claimed they were simply trying to make sure people knew what was going on, their methods were disturbing. I can’t tell you how many other advertisements and posters the College Republicans covered when they crudely slapped their own posters all over the campus bulletin boards.

Instead of raising awareness, the College Republicans assaulted students with rabid campaigning that did nothing but alienate the moderate. Why not advertise for something useful, like a question-and-answer session or public forum where students could ask about the platforms that GOP candidates were running on?

It was simply their way of getting people to vote for their party without considering what their platforms were.

Finally, as I look out my dorm room window, I can see a cutesy “Fred is Red, <3, the College Republicans!” banner hanging by the fountain.
Charming. Nothing like a victory lap from the loudest club on campus.

Lauren McGrath is a freshman.