At age 5, Josh Lawson would entertain family members by dressing
up as Abraham Lincoln and reciting political speeches by his
fireplace. Now, a fourth-year political science and Middle Eastern
studies student, Lawson is a presidential hopeful in this
year’s elections for the Undergraduate Students Association
Council. Born in Lansing, Mich., then moving to England and then
Texas, Lawson finished high school in California and enrolled in El
Camino College, because of its debate team. All through high school
and El Camino, Lawson was heavily involved in speech and debate, a
hobby that he says has turned into a responsibility. In addition to
being student body president and vice president at El Camino,
Lawson participated in the Collegiate National Debate Tournament
where he won a gold medal for parliamentary style debate.
“Parliamentary debate is very similar to the stuff we do in
USAC, being able to reason through issues. … I love public
speaking,” said Lawson, who has major goals to bring about
change to USAC next year. John Hwang, Lawson’s current
roommate and friend of two years, said Lawson is the perfect
candidate because Lawson turns any event into a social affair.
“In every situation, he always has a positive outlook,”
Hwang, a fourth-year English student added. During his first year
at UCLA, Lawson, now a general representative, was deputy chief of
staff for David Dahle, last year’s president. On council this
year, Lawson says he has worked for equal access funding and
representing students he feels the Students First! slate neglects.
Among major issues on campus, Lawson feels it is most important to
advocate against fee increases and budget cuts, help make USAC
accessible to more students, and to ensure equal funding for
student groups. UCLA is the only University of California campus
that does not allow religious or political groups to apply for
funding. Lawson says this policy should change. “I want to
ensure that all student groups are considered on a
viewpoint-neutral basis, regardless of ideology,” Lawson
said.Â
A new slate ““ and new allies Lawson is
running under the Equal Access Coalition slate, which he founded
this year after a fallout with Students United for Reform and
Equality, a slate he ran under last year. He decided to leave SURE
because he said it was moving in the wrong direction. Now, many
members who ran on the same slate as Lawson once did have concerns
about his bid for the presidency. They are particularly troubled by
what they see as insufficient support by Lawson for UCLA’s
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Lawson has a
record of voting against LGBT rights. Earlier this year, Lawson
voted against a resolution in support of same-sex marriage. More
recently, he voted against a resolution that condemned the
Westminster School Board for failing to accept state-mandated
anti-discrimination policies. He voted in favor of a resolution
supporting the expansion of rights to immigrant gay couples. But
Lawson said because he is Christian he defends the inalienable
rights of all students regardless of their gender preferences. He
said his slate strives for equal access for every student,
regardless of individual preference or political ideology. Lawson
says the resolutions “encompassed a lot of other issues that
were more controversial, such as co-ed bathrooms.” “I
believe homosexuality is a choice of every individual … and I
respect their right to make that choice,” Lawson said. He
also said he is comfortable with gay individuals. Adam Harmetz, who
was a presidential candidate running under SURE last year, and
Gideon Baum, who ran for internal vice president last year also
under SURE were both disappointed with Lawson’s voting
decisions. Harmetz and Lawson had a falling out during and after
the elections for a variety of reasons, one of them being
Lawson’s “extreme” conservative views, Harmetz
said. “Some of his views alarmed me. His voting record on
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues has not been one that
I was impressed by, in fact, I have been appalled by it,”
Harmetz said. In reference to Lawson’s slate name, Harmetz
says that “on the surface it seems like a
contradiction.” But Lawson sees himself as the right person
to represent all students. In the middle of budget cuts and fee
hikes, Lawson stresses the importance of advocating for financial
aid and other resources to meet students’ rising needs. Too
few are involved in the process, Lawson says. Due to the structure
of USAC, Lawson said it is very difficult for students who want to
get involved to do so. Lawson believes students should be able to
be involved based on their experience and commitment, not their
political alignment. USAC works on many political
resolutions, but Lawson says the primary objective of USAC should
be to represent students. “I am fine with political
resolutions in nature, but we need to redefine our commitment as a
council to focus on the needs of students and, if in the process of
representing students, we need to comment on national controversies
that is OK,” Lawson said.Â
“Actively pursuing a solution”
Lawson, who transferred in as a third-year, said that UCLA was the
best fit for him. “I knew about the student government and
its corruptness. … I wanted to get involved in USAC to
help,” he said. And to do so, he has relied on one of
his old talents ““Â public speaking. “Speaking for
me now has a direction, a purpose and a design to reform things
that we see on campus,” Lawson said. And to Lawson, public
speaking isn’t the only part of his past he can apply to
USAC. Growing up in a close-knit family of five, Lawson said his
parents instilled in him and his younger siblings the idea that if
there is a problem to be solved, it is their obligation to
contribute to a solution. “If I’m not actively
pursuing a solution then I feel like I am part of the
problem,” Lawson said. Pat, Lawson’s mother, said
Lawson had an interest in helping people from a very young age. The
oldest of three children, Lawson was often the mediator between
sibling disputes. “He thrives on the whole process of hearing
people’s perspectives,” Pat said. “He loves the
whole process of politics. He always thinks: “˜How can I help
every situation?'” Ryan Smeets, a friend of Lawson who
met him through Victory Campus Ministries, said Lawson is a born
leader and that setbacks only push him harder. Lawson believes he
is the best presidential candidate because of his conviction, but
also because he has already pushed to change things he thinks are
wrong. “You need to have something that will make your
convictions reality. Because my convictions lineup with my
experience I can be an advocate in the truest sense,” Lawson
said.Â