We Did Not Land on Plymouth Rock....

Okay ladies and gentleman, after that little piece of flowery revolutionary language, it is time to speak of the business of abolition. The business of abolition or revolution involves less flowery language. I am much more adept at writing in this style than the flowery style I published before, so I apologize to the readers who bemoaned my first post.

But going back to my post, I said I will provide reason and rationale. Translated into normal language, that just means that I will give you compelling arguments for the abolition of the ASUC. Moreover, Beetle (by the way ive been a huge fan of yours in the past), though I would love to make change and provide you with a name, I will be operating under this alias until a little bit of smoke clears. I will guarantee you though that I will give a name in the near future when the plans of abolition have been pushed forward.

And now the real reason why I am wasting your time today, an argument for abolition:

The ASUC is a student body government that has been in existence for many years. Throughout those many glorious years (I hope you feel the sarcasm) the ASUC has inherited many freshman classes, by classes I mean student bodies, to govern over. The ASUC charges fees to each UC Berkeley entering freshman class. For the most part this has been a mildly contested process, freshman have other things to worry about such as learning where his or her first class is or picking a fraternity or sorority to get drunk at (some parties disregarded the moratorium completely). Freshman have better things to worry about, i.e. housing, to even think about the possibility that the ASUC charges them student fees. Most of them do not even know that they have been assessed that fee, considering the fee is lumped together with registration fees on CARS bills. Hell, most freshman don't realize an ASUC exists until they read the Daily Cal or hear someone complain about it. And a few freshman don't figure out what the ASUC is until the campaign circus starts after spring break. To simplify, the ASUC charges freshman fees without ASUC consent, knowledge or notice.

We have a term in the "real world" when we are charged fees without consent, knowledge or notice...That term is fraud.

How much fraud you might ask. Well lets see... $55 multiplied by roughly 4000-5000 freshman, that gives the ASUC quite a bit of unearned money. Congratulations.

Okay, given the situation, what arguments can be made by the ASUC to allow them to charge incoming freshman ASUC fees without consent or notice? How can the ASUC defend itself when it defrauds incoming freshman? (I apologize for rhetorical questions, but this isn't an essay now is it?) Perhaps we can say that previous senators or classes acted in the best interest of the freshman, and it is necessary for the ASUC to charge freshman fees. But of course, the British used that argument before in dealing with North American colonies and I hope you know were that led. Maybe the ASUC can argue, that those fees are being put in good use. But then if we bring up the Heller Lounge situation, the $15,000 to a stark raving lunatic, and the no on 54 campaign, I would guess those fees are being put to shoddy use at best. Maybe the ASUC fees are needed to provide different services to freshman. HAHAHAHAHA. In that case it would be smart to say what services were being provided to freshman, how much they would cost, and then charge the freshman money. After that I have run out of good ideas...

If you or any one of your friends can provide me with compelling arguments for the ASUC to charge freshman without notice and continue to commit a version of fraud, I will be happy to meet you and give you a gold star.

I just do not see why the ASUC is allowed to charge fees to incoming freshman who have no idea what the ASUC does. I do not see how the ASUC charges freshman fees without giving innocent freshman direct benefits. I do not see why the ASUC is allowed to charge freshman without consent.

Now consider this from an incoming freshman perspective. I am sure some of you have been here for so long and are so jaded that you don't remember a time when you are innocent. If so, please try to remember a time when you were 5 and were somewhat happy. That will suffice for this argument. A freshman will soon find out that they were charged this fee, without consent. A freshman will realize this choice was made for them. Freshman will soon figure out that this ASUC government was not created by them. This reminds me of the movie Malcolm X. Denzel said, "We did not land on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock landed upon us". This happens all the time. The realization is made every day by many freshman, that freshman did not choose the ASUC. Instead, the ASUC was forced upon them. The ASUC charges freshman fees on the ASUC notion of the best interest of the freshman, without asking the freshman themselves. How do we separate these ASUC actions from the criminal charge of common fraud?

I apologize to freshman, on behalf of the ASUC for committing this fraud.

Maybe it might be time to turn in this fraudulent organization. Maybe it might be time to abolish this fraudulent organization... I don't know, you tell me.