Thread: MSU President attacks "catch an illegal" event...

The group that plans to hold this event is the Michigan State University chapter of Young Americans for Freedom:
http://www.msu.edu/~yaf/index2.html

Honestly, I don't understand why people are getting so upset about this event. Student organizations have always used shocking events to draw attention to an issue.

*****

http://president.msu.edu/


From the President's Desk

Thursday, September 21, 2006
Immigration: Too important an issue for gimmicks

There have been reports that on campuses across the country—including here at MSU—there are plans to hold something called “Catch an Illegal Immigrant Day” on some unspecified date this fall. The event is being described as an opportunity to raise awareness about illegal immigration. In my view, the tactics being suggested are demeaning to individuals and to the values of Michigan State University.

Immigration policy is, without question, an important issue for national debate, one that has serious implications as the U.S. strives to remain competitive in the new global economy. Part of our responsibility as a university is to address this issue in a balanced and scholarly way—without resort to offensive gimmicks as a means of drawing attention to the topic.

I consider the tactics of “Catch an Illegal Immigrant Day,” as reported in Thursday’s State News, a way to mock and demean, not to educate; a way to exclude, not include, voices. And inclusion is one of MSU’s core values.

Adherence to our core values shapes who we are as a community. Actions and events that are contrary to those values diminish us. For a more detailed discussion of inclusion, and its importance to the intellectual life of our community, I encourage you to read my online statement.

Here was an article I ran across a few days ago on this event. To me it came across sounding a little immature, but then again I'm a little too old to run around playing hide and seek games.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 008/NEWS06

Illegal-immigrant game is on at U-M
Group decides to run it after flak
BY DAWSON BELL
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

September 20, 2006

A University of Michigan student group will host a hide-and-seek-style game called Catch an Illegal Immigrant on campus in coming days, purposely reigniting a controversy over the politically incorrect game that briefly erupted last week.

Andrew Boyd, chairman of the Young Americans for Freedom at U-M, said Tuesday the libertarian-conservative organization decided to go ahead with the game in response to bipartisan criticism U-M College Republicans received when a recruiter told the university's student newspaper that the game might be used as an organizing tool during the 2006-07 school year.

Democrats, including national party Chairman Howard Dean, rained down criticism on the idea of the immigrant game and on Republicans. Criticism of the game was soon joined by state and national Republicans, who said the recruiter was working on her own, and by U-M College Republicans themselves, who said they had no plans to move forward with the game (a form of hide-and-seek in which someone poses as an illegal immigrant).

Boyd, a 19-year-old sophomore from Muskegon, said the controversy prompted his group, which he said has about 50 members at U-M, to promote the event as a means of fostering discussion about insecure national borders.

He said he doesn't think there is "anything wrong with the game. It's just a way to educate people about border security."

Boyd said the outrage over the immigrant game's alleged expression of bias against Hispanics is misplaced. Illegal immigration affects both the Mexican and Canadian borders and involves drug smugglers and potential terrorists as well as foreign workers from Latin America, he said.

Jason Moon, spokesman for the Michigan Democratic Party, said Tuesday the game is still "hurtful, mean-spirited and dangerous," and he continues to lay blame on Republicans. The GOP "came up with the idea," he said; the Young Americans for Freedom are "executing their plan."

Contact DAWSON BELL at 313-222-6604 or dbell@freepress.com.

At the very least, I think the event is in poor taste. There are other ways to make your point. If they want to make a game of it, I would think a better Republican event would be "pin the tail on the donkey"!

I consider the tactics of “Catch an Illegal Immigrant Day,” as reported in Thursday’s State News, a way to mock and demean, not to educate; a way to exclude, not include, voices. And inclusion is one of MSU’s core values.

He wants to include the voices of illegal aliens? It is wrong to mock or demean people that break our laws and invade our nation?

Man, I thought I could be fairly PC some days but there is no political correctness for illegal aliens. They are NOT supposed to be involved in America politics at all considering it is a felony for them to even register to vote.

W

Inclusion? Inclusion in what? I agree with you W. PC is bad enough. But this response is some perverted form of that. The event is not what I'd be doing at my age to raise awareness on this issue but in college I might have.

Besides dollar to doughnuts this is more about his position in the debate then any altruisic concerns.

one that has serious implications as the U.S. strives to remain competitive in the new global economy.

Part of our responsibility as a university is to address this issue in a balanced and scholarly way

PC crap. Balance? What he means is compromise - amnesty.

Unless he means when the students protest or "bring awareness" to other issues, say the war for example, they must present both sides in the protest? I don't think so...