With 13 members and two large pizzas prepared for the president's State of the Union address Tuesday, the Ball State Civil Liberties Union just needed a drum set.
Members said George W. Bush had plenty of his own one-liners, but a snare drum would've complimented theirs.
"(We came) so we can have someone to rant to," junior Andy Bond said.
The BSCLU is a chapter of the Indiana Civil Liberties Union and consists mostly of liberals, president Mike Kostyo said. Some Republicans joined this year, Kostyo said, when the student chapter revived itself after a six-year dormancy.
"Every time we have an event, more and more people come," Kostyo said.
Robert Hughes, a vocal performance major, said he wanted more information on the group and a chance to watch the speech on cable. Before the broadcast began, Hughes said he wanted to hear the truth from Bush.
"Why do we have tax cuts and raises in college tuition?" Hughes asked. "(I want to hear) the reason we're in Iraq, and why we're disliked by so many people after 9/11."
Kostyo said Bush rarely follows through on his promises.
"So much of what he says is opposite of what he does," Kostyo said.
The president's speech triggered the loudest snickers with quips on The Patriot Act renewal, America's permission slip for freedom and education.
"He really makes a joke of our Constitution," Bond said. "We hate the Patriot Act."
Senior Colin Manring said Bush ignored the economy and focused too narrowly on foreign policy.
"I wanted to know what he's doing exactly to help jobs and the deficit," Manring said. "I think everyone forgot about the trillion dollar deficit."
Senior Amanda Foster said her favorite part of the hour-long broadcast was Ted Kennedy's response.
"I respect him more than our own president," Foster said.
Increased funding for Pell Grants was a good idea, Hughes said.
"That's good news for people in college," Hughes said.
The BSCLU's next meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the Music Lounge of the Student Center. Kostyo said the group is pretty liberal, but anyone is welcome to join.
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