Letter to the Editor

While getting ready for the Kerry rally last Friday I peeked out the bedroom window of my Blue Box apartment on East South River St. and promptly ran out of the building half dressed, yelling at a fellow student across the road and alarming a few old women. The rumors were true; the College Republicans had been donated the parking lot across from Alexander by the owner of the telemarketing firm located in the adjacent building so that they might sell as many parking spaces as possible to unsuspecting democrats as a fundraiser. It was not the fact that the Republicans were making money off an event that I, as the Vice President of Programming for the College Democrats had helped plan that was so unnerving. I ran out of the building half-naked to scream about the fact that those paying for parking spots had no idea where there money was going to.As a loud-mouthed democrat, I would have rather walked miles then pay ten dollars for a prime parking spot if I had known that my money was going to support all that I stand against. I respect the right of others to fundraise. I even respect the right of the College Republicans to fundraise at one of our events, even though these are the same people who refused to help us register others to vote, have no interest in helping me plan Election Day activities and had nothing to do with all the debate watching parties we have hosted. I am honored that the first time the Republicans decided to show their faces this election year that it was at a rally that I helped plan. I do not, however, respect their decision to fundraise in such an underhanded way that when an old woman in a walker discovered where the money the parking fees were going to she was late to the rally because she felt that it was more important to warn incoming drivers about the Republicans’ scheme than to see John Kerry speak.

Is a six-hundred dollar profit worth one’s integrity? More importantly, is it worth risking some one else’s? The College Republicans and College Democrats on this campus are in existence to advance the candidates and issues deemed important by our national parties. And in the spirit of the punishment fitting the crime, I would strongly encourage the College Republicans to donate the six hundred dollars generated so deceitfully to an organization their party supports in ending fiscal corruption and misuse of funds.

-Kass Kuehl