I normally don't write into the Daily News, but after reading the Your Turn "Why you Should Vote U.N.I.T.E.D" I couldn't help but grab a pen and rebuke this poorly written article. What makes the Daily News occasionally frustrating, but ultimately successful, is the varying views of the students - not those of a select few staff members, but of all students.
The same principle should be applied to the Student Government Association election. I think most students would agree that we want a variety of viewpoints in our executive slate and apparently so does author of the Your Turn, Shawn Meier, because he counters his very first point midway through his article. He claims that he "can tell you almost any organization would crumble if you brought in an outsider with no previous experience to run the organization." But mere paragraphs later he lists the involvements of U.N.I.T.E.D. Initiative members Zac Davis and Jessical Tindal, who have very little SGA experience as listed on the SGA website. Instead, he mentions that they have a background in diversity and other leadership experiences.
Rightfully, these are the credentials of a good candidate, however the contradiction in the article begs the question: What do you truly value in your leadership? Is it the diversity experience of Tindal or the SGA experience of Betsy Mills? I must argue that even Meier would admit that it is both SGA and other leadership experiences in a healthy balance.
Both slates achieve this balance. Both have experience in SGA, and both have experience holding positions with a variety of other groups. Although certain individuals may have spent more time in a particular organization than others, no one on either side is unqualified to lead.
With this out of the way, we are left to focus on the most important aspect of the election: the issues. Here, the differences between the two slates clearly show that Vote Bare is the right choice.
Vote Bare hasn't provided any radical or unfeasible ideas, such as a Spring Homecoming. Even U.N.I.T.E.D. Initiative member Jamie Manuel stated during the televised debate he hopes the students will help define this platform issue (as if students will just come together and form a steering committee to seek funds from the alumni center and do countless hours of work to promote and fund the event).
Vote Bare ideas are practical and researched, as shown by the proposed late night MITS loop through the village. The cost to SGA could be $5,000 because of Vote Bares' contact with MITS' Larry King. He said MITS would work to raise half the cost if Ball State would provide the other half.
If you get a chance, I encourage you to watch the televised debate as linked at bsudailynews.com and see for yourself who it is that lists the necessary names, places and ways in which to enact ideas.
If a slate doesn't take the time to do their research they don't deserve the position. Though I truly like the candidates for U.N.I.T.E.D. Initiative, and I find Zac Davis to be the most friendly and caring man on campus; force of personality alone is not a platform.
Meier is right when he says the executive board will not be the group putting "every student idea into action." They will be responsible for imparting clarity and focus to the people they will be working with during the upcoming year. It is this clarity and focus which U.N.I.T.E.D. Initiative sorely lacks.
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