Issues Minorities Face at the University of Alabama

Cedrick Alexander

Dateline Alabama Political Analyst

  At the University of Alabama, minority candidates seeking leadership issues face an assortment of challenges. The issues these candidates face align with those that minorities face on a national scale, but are magnified due to the microcosm of the college setting. In the inauguration of Barack Obama, a multiracial Democratic candidate, winning the election and becoming the first man of African American descent to become president of the United States, it is hard to understand how a collegiate campus cannot accomplishments similar or if not the same steps toward true democracy.

First you have to consider the state of Alabama in which the University of Alabama is located. The majority of the student population at the university are residents of the state. History show that the state of Alabama has arguably taken the longest to recover from the repercussions of divisive nature. The state is entrenched in history of segregation and the Civil Rights movement, with monuments and museums located in just about every large city to remind you of its history. The flagship university of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa, was forcefully integrated by the National Guard at the orders of President John F. Kennedy. Governor George Wallace stood in the schoolhouse door barring Vivian Malone Jones and James Hood from entering the facility. The university distances itself from this unfortunate past by having very little to no commemoration of the event nor recognition of where the event happened and what happened.

 To understand why these problems may still exist a little further let’s look at the numbers. 

      The statistics, according to collegedata.com, tell a proving story. With there being 84 percent of the campus of the same background, minorities at the University of Alabama face challenges with people being able to relate with them and their experiences.

    “Most of the time, people vote alongside people that look most like themselves,” said Aubrey Coleman, a junior at the University of Alabama majoring in Political Science. “It is assumed these people have the same ideas and values.”

 This is a very different dynamic to the majority candidates who are often times given the benefit of the doubt. Minorities have to find an equilibrium of having a sense of community and embracing their heritage as well as staying impartial enough not to turn off any voters of the opposite races.

 Then, there is the factor of apathy. On a campus of about 28,000 students and expanding, approximately 5,000 of those students made it to the polls to vote for SGA President in 2008. Apathy poses a large problem because minorities are often left without the support they need at the polls to win the election.

 “The real political machine is apathy, “said Stephen Storey, a junior majoring in Public Relations at the University of Alabama.

 “There is an overwhelming mindset that SGA doesn’t do anything,” said Laura Dover, a junior at the University of Alabama. “They accomplish no real radical change.”

 It is interesting that students on campus think this way, when they pay the tuition prices and their voices were the ones instrumental in getting the state-of-the-art recreational facility built only a few short years ago.

 These two factors alone make it very difficult for minority candidates to win elections in any positions of power on campus.

 Then there are the Greek-lettered affiliated organizations. The Greek political machine at the University of Alabama is a force. Instead of a divided number of candidates to choose from, the Greeks align their vote with one candidate and are very active in the voting process. It is encouraged and in some instances mandatory.

 “The Greeks are a large voter base,” said Laura Dover, a member of a Greek-lettered organization on campus, “It helps hide underlying racial tensions and it’s all about supporting the Greek candidates.”

  Pledges of these sororities and fraternities are provided incentives to help in the campaign process. The Greek-lettered organizations have a built-in voter base and campaign team regardless of the candidate’s platform or credentials. This minority (Greeks make up roughly 26 percent of the campus), is a large proponent in the fact that in the history of the University of Alabama elections only seven that have won have not been backed by this political machine.

 In order for minorities to gain a position of power at the University of Alabama they have to be able to mobilize people to get to the polls and vote. That is the majority of the battle. If they can manage to get people to vote, they have to make sure they cast their vote for them and not any other candidates.

 

The Barack Obama Honeymoon Period

In February, President-Elect Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. Barack Obama made history on that day, becoming the first interracial president in the history of the United States. Barack Obama became the first Democratic president in eight years inheriting a lot of issues including an economic recession, a war, and many other relating issues. America chose Barack Obama based on his credentials as an Illinois senator, and his message of change and hope. Barack Obama had a lot of progressive ideas that many people felt strongly about. Regardless, enough voters came out to support Barack Obama to elect him into office over Republican and Arizona senator John McCain.

Since then, Barack Obama has been steadily at work, taking advantage of his first 100 days and Honeymoon period. The Obamas have comfortably settled into the White House and even have adopted a dog, Bo.
From a political standpoint, Barack Obama's first policy dealt with Guanatanomo Bay and deciding to close it within the next year. It is still to be determined what to do with the prisoners present there, but Obama obviously felt that from an international and foreign affairs policy it was a wise public relations decision on his behalf.

Secondly, Obama decided to lift the ban on the international funding of abortion, a move that virtually opened the door for abortions to be more accessible. Anyone who knows about politics knows that the pro-life/pro-choice struggle is one that is very intense which leads me to the inclination that this insn't the last thing we will hear about this decision. Not to mention, Obama also decided to allow for stem cell research which uses embryotic research to provide its results-this in turn sacrificing potential human life. Whether you agree or disagree about the progression of science and using human life as a byproduct of that one is forced to feel one way or another. Needless to say, Obama's first days in office have been controversial to say the least.

Obama proceeded to further the stimulus package agenda to help bolster the economy. Along with this, the Obama administration was forced into a tough situation and decided to "bail out" the automobile industry, saving millions of jobs in the automobile industry and saving GM from bankruptcy and having to close its doors. Many of the people agreed with this decision, contributing it to be a necessary evil, otherwise leading to a further collapse of the economy.

I tend to find myself aligning more with the anti-war agenda, so Obama's decision to remove troops from Iraq by August 2010*, was a good move. No one wants troops in Iraq forever, besides the fact that it is costing Americans billions to fund the war, with no reasonable ending to it.
Barack Obama also established a semblance of an open border with Cuba, allowing more lenient restrictions on the transfer of money and travel permissions with Chavez complying to release American prisoners of war. Many people stil feel strongly about Chavez because of his harsh disagreements with George W Bush, but with that in mind, Obama has decided to reach out to our enemies like he stated he would in his campaign. Hopefully these types of relationships can occur with North Korea and other countries disagreeable with the United States.

In Obama's first 100 days, he has been more favorable to the American public than Bush's regime and though people may disagree with his policies they like Obama and tend to forgive him for their disagreements. It is assumed that the majority of American people believe Obama has the good of the American people in mind.

The Duality of A Journalist: Tales of Following a Campaign

This spring I found myself in a compromising position. In the midst of one of the most compelling SGA races in the history of the University of Alabama, I lost my impartiality. I clearly was a proponent of a particular candidate so much so that I campaigned for that candidate via emails.

The bottom of my emails read:

Vote Kendra Key for SGA President! Your Voice is Key!

Clearly this was an issue for a journalist covering politics for an online media source. It occurred to me the issues journalist face when endorsing candidates. It is a slippery slope that journalists dare not tread in risking their credibility; a lesson I learned on the job.

This spring, the stage was perfectly set to put me in this position. In the red corner, you had Kendra Key. A junior majoring in political science, from Tuscaloosa, and a profound speaker. She had all the credentials to be the ideal SGA president- in my opinion. She started the recycling initiative on campus that helped provide jobs for students and help Bryant-Denny Stadium become more eco-friendly. Also, she created the Office of International Involvement that gave international students an opportunity to plug into campus easier than ever before, with tools and resources prepared for them to involve them in campus life.

Her opponent was Steven Oliver, the "Machine-backed" candidate from Tennessee, a biology major who was executive adviser to the SGA president Cason Kirby. The Machine, as noted on Wikeipidia, is an organization designed to mobilize the Greek population in controlling campus politics. This group has been notorious for intimidation tactics in the past, and selects who their candidate for each position will be. This attributes to why there is only one Greek candidate to run each year, when the number of independent candidates vary each year. This group bases their political affiliation on class, because if you are not able to afford to be in a fraternity or sorority, you are excluded from SGA positions. If you do not have the backing of the Machine to support your candidacy it is near impossible to beat a guaranteed voter block of Greeks. This is shown by the fact that there has only been seven non-Greek presidents at the University of Alabama in SGA history, two of which have been non-white. Greeks are given incentives to vote and campaign, and are sometimes forced to participate against their will. This is nothing new to Alabama. "The Machine" has been around for ages, and the last candidate to win, had the advantage that sororities were not included in the "Machine" and therefore he (Cleo Thomas) was able to convince the sororities to vote on his behalf.
Because Alabama campus politics has a direct influence on state politics, Greeks see campus politics as a launching pad to having the same positions in the state in the future.

Yes, Steven Oliver's experience with SGA primed him to take over the position as president, but with that said, nothing in his resume convinced me that he would do anything differently if given the opportunity to be SGA president. He had been adviser to the president and had very little to show for it. In the debates, Oliver had very little to attribute to what bills he had actually drafted, but was moreso attributing to the things he had worked on, and was hoping to implement in the future. His platform provided for a loop hole for students to weasel out of their class obligations creating a "mini-mester" so that you can cram what you slacked off during the semester into a six-week period at the end of the semester. Oliver also pushed for a restaurant incentive program where students could get extra items at locations for presenting their student ID's, and also wanted to extend a 24-hour library to Thursday rather than just Friday. All good initiatives, but is that really what we need as students? I thought it was rather weak.

Kendra Key wanted to make the entire campus wireless accessible, so that you could use the internet in each and every building and location across campus. She also wanted to get Meal Plans back in the Ferg so that students were not forced to use all their dining dollars up in a month or two. She also sought to freeze if not lower tuition rates so that students would not be forced into financial hardship after college. Key pushed a first ticket forgiveness program where students were able to get out of their first ticket fine.

I looked at both candidates individually and saw that Key's platform was significantly better. However, given my position as a journalist it is my job to be objective. And it was hard to be when involved in politics.

Who is David Plouffe?

Cedrick J Alexander, Dateline Alabama Political Analyst

David Plouffe may be considered the man single-handedly responsible for orchestrating one of the greatest moments in American history. It is the hard work of Plouffe and many others than made the realization of Barack Obama becoming the 44^th President of the United States. His wit and skills are second to none in understanding politics, and that is realized in our nation’s first multiracial president.

Barack Hussein Obama made history by recently being inaugurated as the 44^th President in the history of the United States. The event marks a number of milestones in the nation’s history and means something to everyone. People came out in droves to see his inauguration and it has been documented as one of the largest scale events in the history of inaugurations. People from all over the country came out and participated in balls and parties to usher in the newest member of the presidential cabinet. The Obama era has begun and has ushered in, with it, a new age of politics.  Though Obama, the man is historical in the context of history in the United States, one has to wonder how we made it to this point in history. Yes, we are in an economic recession, one of which is also historical in its shape and form, causing numerous layoffs in the human resource department, melee in the banking and automobile industries, and a severe collapse in the housing market as well. Yes, we are in a war; a war that many do not see coming to a peaceful end, and that others do not agree with it. This war is costing the US trillions of dollars to date, and military officials are still trying to figure out how to get out without so much collateral damage. Yes, domestic policy in the US is not the best, with Bush initiatives such as Homeland Security and the Patriot Act that seem to invade the rights of the individual in this country. However, given all the circumstances, were these factors really enough to cause this turnaround in our country? Were these factors what led to the first Democratic president in eight years, or the first African American president in the history of our country? Not as much as people may think. What really caused this part of living history was the people that made it happen; the people with the campaign strategies, the community organizing capabilities, the voters and the ability to get everyone involved. Enter David Plouffe.

Who is David Plouffe you may ask? Let me introduce you. David Plouffe is the chief campaign manager for Senator Barack Obama. Plouffe has long acted as a Democratic political strategist, and aligned with the consulting firm, AKP&D Message and Media in 2000.  A graduate of St. Mark’s High School in Wilmington, Delaware, Plouffe went on to major in Political Science at the University of Delaware from 1985 to 1988. A breed of those like Michael Dell and Bill Gates, Plouffe opted to leave college early to begin his career in politics.

David Plouffe began his work with Senator Tom Harkins 1990 re-election campaign. In that same year, Plouffe worked alongside John Olver, and his first re-election bid in Western Massachusetts Plouffe would later go on to help organize the campaign for Delaware Attorney General Charles M. Oberly, who was unsuccessful against Senator William V. Roth. In 1995, Plouffe worked extensively with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and managed Bob Torricelli’s successful campaign to win the New Jersey Senate seat a year later. 1997 and 1998 found Plouffe working with Dick Gephardt’s Deputy Chief of Staff. Two years later, Plouffe worked again as the executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, leading a national campaign responsible for raising $95 million, a house race record. In 2003 and 2004, Plouffe and David Axelrod began working on Senator Barack Obama’s Illinois Senator Campaign. In May 2008, David Axelrod praised Plouffe, stating he had "done the most magnificent job of managing a campaign that I've seen in my life of watching presidential politics. To start something like this from scratch and build what we have built was a truly remarkable thing."After winning the election on November 4, Obama credited Plouffe in his acceptance speech, calling him "the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the . . . best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America." The Chicago Tribune writes, "Plouffe was the mastermind behind a winning strategy that looked well past Super Tuesday's contests on Feb. 5 and placed value on large and small states."  Plouffe has not been appointed to a position in the Obama administration or presidential transition though he does intend to publish a book entitled The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory. The book will detail tactics and discuss management strategies he used throughout the campaign. The book is set to net him a seven-figure fee. He also signed with the Washington Speakers Bureau to give paid speeches, and plans to engage in non-government consulting work.

David Plouffe’s manipulation of the internet and viral communication led to the grassroots movement that provided a unification of Obama voters around the country. Plouffe utilized techniques that would bring the campaign right into your living room. He engaged a new younger voter base that utilized YouTube, Face book, MySpace, and other social networks that were taboo in previous elections. A genius in noticing this neglected demographic, Plouffe noticed trends, and the effect these tools had. Therefore, he used them to the advantage of the Barack Obama campaign. The rest is history…..literally. 

Doing What Matters For Tuscaloosa's Children

Wednesday I attended the Doing What Matters For Tuscaloosa's Children Conference held at the Bryant Conference Center. The conference comprised of leaders in all fields of education and touched on a broad range of topics ranging from Advocacy for Education in the Legislature to Budgeting and financing education in the state of Alabama. The conference was held throughout the afternoon from roughly 10a to 3p CST. I had the opportunity to sit in on a powerpoint presentation from John Gilbert, a lobbyist for RISE. Gilbert's depiction for Alabama's education system was very bleak. The main issue as is the case for many issues was money. In the state of Alabama there is a lack of understanding in how to manage its finances especially in terms of the education system. Budgets are made with no real backing of where the money is coming from and as a lobbyist Gilbert finds that he has little power in an administration that has so many conflicting opinions. However, Gilbert did express some hope in that of the constituents and the people. The emphasis of his lecture was to show how the constituents had the real power to make a change. Legislators and public officials are forced to run for their position every two or four years, and therefore to maintain their position they need to appease their constituent body. A very good point indeed. Gilbert touched on four points that could make the situation better in the state of Alabama:

• Build relationships

Gilbert expressed to visit your congressman or legislator so that you that you are familiar with one another. That way he or she is more likely to listen to you, and get a better understanding for the pulse of the community. Likely how you feel is indicative of the community as a whole, though this may not be the case all the time.

• Invite legislators to your functions

Gilbert expressed that inviting your congressman or legislator to events in the community builds comradery. He or she understands how the community interacts and how they really feel on certain issues.

• Visit with them

Gilbert asked that you visit them. Don't show up unannounced he mentioned, but at least try to coordinate times to say hi. It doesn't always have to be political.

• Speak to them in the community

Gilbert said to be friendly with your legislators and congressman and make sure to recognize them in public. He also asked people to write their local paper, because legislators read the editorials and things people send in.


Gilbert also mentioned to be well-versed in whatever issue you present to the powers of government and to have developed a backing before confronting them with the issue. He admitted that it is important to be forceful, not aggressive. Gilbert said that it was imperative t be resolution minded when in the midst of political figures because too much pathos arguments can get you dismissed from the conversation altogether no matter how important the subject matter.

Lastly, Gilbert mentioned to always thank politicians for their time. Whether you feel you got something out of it or not, it is not, though thought to be, required for them to listen to you. They have a number of things to do aside from listen to complaints that can be filtered through their assistants and secretaries.

At the end of the day, it really comes to down to what you do. Government works from the ground up and this not in different in advocating education. Change to a failing administration on education will not change if people do not stand up and do something about it themselves. Spread your message, be clear, simple and concise, and collaborate with others that have the same initiative.

Welcome!

Good afternoon,
My name is Cedrick J Alexander, and I am a journalism major at the University of Alabama. I am currently a junior aspiring to be a key figure in the media. I enjoy politics especially with the earth-changing events that have happened recently in our nation. Please stay tuned as I will prepare stories each week on campus, national and state politics for my viewing audience and for my Journalism 430 class taught by Dr. Daniels.