In the Rose Bowl parking lot, a group of students was enjoying a
tailgating party and waiting for the UCLA football game against
Illinois to begin. Yet their conversation wasn’t about the
Bruins’ running game or about facing the rival Trojans later
in the season.
It was about politics.
“So who are you guys voting for?” one person
asked.
These scenes are happening more frequently, as students prepare
to take part in the California recall election, and their renewed
interest and involvement are as varied as the 135 certified recall
candidates.
Though students ““ particularly in the 18-24 age range
““ do not vote in the same proportion as older citizens, many
have expressed strong feelings about the recall and its
implications such that some now believe politics affect their daily
lives.
Jose Guevara, a fourth-year history and political science
student, said his political awareness has increased due to
extensive news coverage of the recall. He says the recall is a bad
idea.
“To recall a democratically elected governor who can be
replaced by one candidate receiving as little as 15 percent of the
vote undermines the integrity of our democratic processes,”
he said.
In contrast, Dario Soto, a fourth-year history student, welcomed
the recall as a testament to the country’s political
processes.
“The high number of candidates reveals how open and
democratic our country really is,” he said.
Guevara’s feelings aren’t strong enough to prompt
him into action, as he admitted he wasn’t actively involved
in the recall issue. But some students have mobilized hoping to
leave some impact on the political process.
Bruin Democrats President Doug Ludlow, a third-year political
science, history and economics student, is working with other
college groups to oppose the recall.
Ludlow, also a Daily Bruin Viewpoint columnist, believes
students are becoming more politically aware in the recall
atmosphere, but that they need to broaden their perspectives.
“I’ve seen a good amount of interest in politics
recently but more students need to realize that distant events can
affect them,” he said.
Recent events have prompted some students to make this
realization. Ednna Acevedo, a fourth-year sociology student and a
member of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan, said recent
political dialogue about the group has personally affected her
life.
In the past month, opponents of Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, the
leading Democrat in the recall election, have criticized his
involvement with MEChA as a student at Fresno State University.
The civil rights-borne student organization has been perceived
as racist by critics who oppose the group’s charter goals
calling for the secession of the Southwestern United States back to
Mexico. But this original mission statement is considered outdated
by its members.
Acevedo believes her organization’s aims have been
“maliciously distorted.”
“When we protested the university fee increases, we fought
for all students. It wasn’t a race issue, it was a student
issue,” she said.
Heavily involved with social justice issues, Acevedo recently
attended a four-day training program by the Southwest Voter
Registration Project to increase voter turnout.
Whereas some are working to get young eligible voters to
register, other students have taken to direct involvement in the
recall election. Daniel Watts, a third-year political science
student attending UC San Diego, is running for governor of
California.
The 21-year-old hopes to galvanize student support around his
opposition to university fee increases and force elected officials
to take notice of student concerns and issues.
Despite his low chance of winning, Watts believes a large
turnout for his candidacy will bring student issues to the
political forefront and raise student involvement.
“The reason why politicians don’t take student
issues seriously is because students don’t fight back with
their votes,” Watts said.
Jorge Assam, a fourth-year political science and history
student, commends Watts’ initiative, regardless of the
outcome.
“It’s a good sign for our future democracy when
students are taking the initiative to change their
government,” he said.