Recently, the Ball State College Republicans put up flyers around campus. I will not try to deceive any readers. I am part of this group and was among the members who put the flyers up around campus. The vandalism of our flyers that came soon after gave me no doubt as to where our campus is for the most part politically.
The flyers were simple and to the point. Regulations with our state and national offices prevent us from officially endorsing or campaigning for our Republican candidate until there is an official party nominee. In our quest to promote politics on campus, we wanted to do something so we produced flyers concerning the Democratic candidates.
The flyers were not derogatory in any way. They asked if the person in the picture was going to be our next American president. Beneath this was a picture of either Senator Obama or Senator Clinton. In bold letters it stated that the answer would be no. At the bottom, the Ball State College Republicans stated that they had put up the flyers and gave our e-mail address, ballstatecr@gmail.com.
These flyers were all put up around 5 p.m. Feb. 15. I kept a close eye on our e-mail inbox over the weekend, but nothing came. In the past when the College Republicans advertise, we get at least a few people who e-mail us an expletive-filled tirade, telling us how we are a terrible group and how Iraq never had weapons of mass destruction. I was quite curious, as well as suspicious, of what the reason was for the deafening silence. I received my answer Monday morning. Of about 100 flyers posted throughout campus, none remained in any readable manner. I found half of one still posted where I had put it, on the flyer post at the scramble light.
This, to be perfectly honest, hurt me. This was uncalled for, and was an act of vandalism. This was the act of liberals who are afraid. They are afraid of the idea that Republicans may retain power in this country for the next four years. I am here to assure the vandal or vandals, as the case may be, that we will come back stronger from this. We will not be intimidated. The Democrats have every right to voice their opinion and we completely respect that right. We should be extended that same courtesy.
Let me also state that I do not see this immature behavior as being typical of Ball State Democrats. There are many, many Democrats on this campus that I hold as dear friends. I am not blaming any Ball State Democrats for what happened. I would never issue a blanket accusation like that.
This campus is in trouble. We need to come to a place where people can state their beliefs without thinking their ideas will be vandalized. Ball State is better than this. The next time you see a flyer or a booth set up or anything political that angers you, do the mature thing. Tell the people who put it up that you disagree and why. Don't tear down other people just out of hate. It is disrespectful and holds us, as a campus, back from developing into a more open and more political university.
Write to Alex at apcarroll@bsu.edu
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