MCRI rally demonstrates the worst of politics
irony (n) (pronounced ahy-ruh-nee): an outcome of events contrary to what was, or might have been, expected; the incongruity of this.
Example: the You Decide: The Future of Affirmative Action debate Wednesday in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium. The event was meant to be a calm, educated discussion of the issues surrounding Proposal 2 informing students before they go to the polls on Nov. 7.
Right before that event, a pair of rallies took place outside Warriner Hall — one consisting of about 12 protesters speaking out against affirmative action, the other of about 60 speaking in favor of it — that spiraled from peaceful protest into warrantless screaming and petty insults.
Irony.
It’s great to see the very worst of American politics in action center stage on campus.
Oh wait, sorry — irony again.
Let me start over: I’m a proponent of freedom of speech. I think more students should rally, vote and participate in the government of this country.
But the action of some students in defense of their beliefs Wednesday was deplorable.
And the leader of that small band, the organizer of the “Affirmative Action is Racist” rally and shouter of angry insults was Topinabee sophomore Dennis Lennox II.
Lennox, a consistently vocal conservative, led the most volatile of the protesters. “Racists go home!” the extremists shouted at opponents of Proposal 2.
His insults were so alienating that Lennox’s rally started with 12 participants and ended with five.
Irony.
This isn’t the first time Lennox has besieged those who don’t agree with him. He claimed the College Republican’s constitution was illegitimate while running for chairman last year.
He continually raised procedural objections throughout the group’s meeting, to the point where members suggested amending their constitution to disallow such tactics — or forming a new Lennox-less organization.
Despite Lennox’s best (worst?) efforts, Williamston junior Leslie Little won the race for chair of the College Republicans.
Irony.
Wednesday’s protest was a display of the worst of American politics — the parts that involve divisive issues about which people stop listening to the opinions of others and start attacking the character of the people who disagree with them.
Rallies like Wednesday’s don’t bring people into the political arena. They don’t influence people to vote. They don’t encourage strong democracy and the free expression of ideas.
They oppress. They belittle. They discourage.
Irony.
I believe the First Amendment is the most important, most American thing ever done by this government, and I support Lennox and others’ rights to free expression.
After all, since Lennox is running for county commissioner in Topinabee and pays attention, he must know a little more than you and me, especially if we don’t see eye-to-eye.
Oh wait, sorry — irony again.
Phil Hornshaw can be reached at phornshaw@cm-life.com
