Inanity of the Day: Paula Aboud

I called and called and couldn't get a face-to-face meeting between Paula Aboud, "my" state senator, and SCCC, concerning last year's SB 1214. Now I know what I needed to do: I needed to stand outside her office, chant slogans, and wave signs for thirty days.

In today's Daily Wildcat:

"We must remember that this country was founded on civil disobedience for what we believe in," the Democrat said. "We need to be here for thirty days, picketing and rallying, and standing up.

"This will make a difference; I've seen it in other states - it will. This is how you get your rights, whether it's gay civil rights, black and white civil rights, this is what you do! You can stand up and be heard! Otherwise it's just numbers in a budget, or lines on a paper. Students need to stand up and say how this is going to impact them."

Sorry, dear:

1. Civil disobedience means willfully violating an unjust law. Demonstrations may be rude but they are certainly legal.


2. Rent seeking and standing up for one's rights are extremely different behavior, and to equate fighting a maximally 16% university budget cut with the push for equal rights for homosexuals or blacks is an insult to those who stood (and stand) for the latter two causes.


3. No, this is not what you do. What you do is lobby and and phone your representatives (unless, like Aboud, they only listen to yes-men) and 'blog and write the editor and submit guest opinions and run for office. A free press is the cornerstone of a Republic. Demonstrations are only in order if things are tremendously awry.

It's usually AZ House Republicans who say things so goofy as to make student reporters' clumsy editorializing--Carly Kennedy's "Senator Paula Aboud spoke of her immense support of the massive rally of students, and said protesting makes up the very foundation of our democracy"--unremarkable by comparison. ("immense...massive"?--will someone get the girl a thesaurus?) Thanks, Sen. Aboud for a refreshing change of pace. It's good to read of a Democrat say something silly for a change. Or not.