Tuesday, February 25, 1997
DEDICATION:
AAP provides students with many valuable toolsBy Juhan Song
My letter is in response to James Liu’s "Problem with hiring
standards tip of iceberg." First of all, let me state that the
following criticism will be explicit for the simple reason that
Liu’s comments were hysterical, untrue and offensive. His words
have been justifiably taken as personal (as the reader shall see
later). The professional courtesy that I would have extended to a
more thoughtful person will not be given to him.
Liu sounds like William Buckley on crack. His right-wing attack
uses many terms such as "party-boss era political machine," "cult,"
"rebellion," "insanity," "scandals" and "Marxist" without any
justification or rationale. He tosses these words around in a
pseudo-intellectual style that attempts to evoke images of a
program filled with would-be rioters and troublemakers. Also Liu’s
use of the terms "Campbell Hall" and "Academic Advancement Program"
is confusing. He thinks they are synonyms. His lack of distinction
between Campbell Hall, which is the home of several ethnic studies
centers, and AAP further illustrates his ignorance of the true
situation at hand.
How can Campbell Hall be a "cult" or "an evil empire"? What
human sacrifices has he seen there? What nations have been
conquered by the Republic of Campbell Hall? Liu attacks the
students who were dedicated and passionate enough to deny
themselves nourishment in order to create a Chicano studies program
as being nothing but fanatical "poor kids." I believe that they
were damn heroic and admirable in sacrificing what is most
important  their health.
Is it wrong to stand up for your people and to demand that they
deserve UCLA’s attention? Liu seems to think so. Having a deep
conviction to fight injustice DOES NOT make you a cult member.
Learning about empowerment DOES NOT make you a cult member.
Educating young minds about their history and their struggles DOES
NOT make you a cult member. Raising your fist in the air in the
face of oppression DOES NOT make you a cult member.
And why does Liu believe that there is even a slight chance that
there will be a "sit-in and hunger strike" to reform AAP? If I read
him correctly, the "fanatics" who would take such "fanatical"
actions were on our side. Or is there a cult of disgruntled
conservative, upper-class, sheltered white males led by Liu that I
don’t know about?
Isn’t it odd how Campbell Hall is targeted? Wait, let me try
that again. Isn’t it racist how Campbell is targeted? You rarely
hear about other departments being criticized for a narrow
Eurocentric or male perspective, although many are. These two
perspectives are mistaken for something universal, that they
supposedly represent all that humanity has to offer. The need for
Campbell is to maintain diversity of thought on campus by providing
a different point of view. In the overall picture, Campbell is a
refreshing complement to the rest of the campus.
Liu wants Director Aldolfo Bermeo to "give the young minds a
chance to think." He disrespects the intelligence of you, my fellow
students, when he implies that we are so dumb as to be led blindly
by "cult" leaders.
If Liu thinks that a personal appeal to Director Bermeo would
fix AAP, then why did he not just voice his concern directly to
him? Of course, it is just more fun to see your name in "a proud,
liberal and smart newspaper" and to slander a program in jeopardy
than to put in a real effort for positive change. Liu is a former
student and a former AAP tutor.
It is easy to write lies about a program after one has reaped
the monetary benefits of being a tutor. It is something else to be
constructive and try to work for real change with the
administration and the students (if you really care, that is).
Isn’t it interesting that Liu has nothing at stake when he writes
all this? We, the students, could lose a valuable resource on
campus. It affects us and not him.
I have seen so many positive things from AAP that I cannot view
it the same way as Liu does. AAP’s Freshman Summer Program (FSP)
helped me adjust to college life. I have yet to find a more
compassionate, intelligent TA than my two FSP TAs. It was a great
experience for all of my classmates. The support I received during
the summer and still receive through AAP is the envy of many people
I know. If anything, there should be more programs like FSP but
attacks such as Liu’s do not help, do not help at all. Anybody can
talk a lot of nonsense but it takes a "cult member" to make
positive changes on campus and in society.