Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Chilling Political Speech on Campus

Student Politicos Learn How to Subvert Democracy

By Columbia Students for Nader

On Monday, October 25, a representative from the Columbia Political Union (CPU) informed Columbia Students for Nader that we would not be invited to send a representative to the campus presidential debate scheduled for this Thursday, October 28. The CPU offered no justification for its decision, except to say that it wanted to limit the debate to stand-ins for the two “leading” candidates, George Bush and John Kerry.

Needless to say, Columbia Students for Nader strongly objects to the CPU’s actions. At a time when the two corporate parties are doing their best to further limit the already extremely narrow terms of debate in mainstream U.S. politics, we were hopeful that the CPU would buck the national trend and allow students to hear about the independent campaign of Ralph Nader and Peter Camejo. Nader/Camejo is the only ticket this election fighting for an end to the occupation of Iraq, single-payer universal health care, a $10/hour minimum wage, the abolition of the racist death penalty, the repeal of all anti-union legislation, and the legalization of gay marriage.

In 2000 Nader outpolled George Bush at Columbia several times over. While the pressure of “Anybody But Bushism” makes it unlikely that Nader will again receive more votes than Bush at CU, there remain many students who want to see the development of an independent left in this country and are therefore supporting Nader/Camejo in 2004.

Columbia Students for Nader is asking for support from all of those who share our commitment to democracy and to expanding the terms of debate in American politics. Please e-mail the CPU at and demand that they allow student supporters of Nader/Camejo (and any other third party candidate) to take part in the campus debate this Thursday.

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