As the wise Fergie once articulated, "No no no no baby, no no no no don't lie. What you gonna do when it all comes out, when I see you and what you're all about? Stop, st-stop st-stop stop stop lying."

Hello fellow students. My name is John Moghtader and I'm one of your ASUC Senators. Not sure if you've heard, but some people are trying to recall me. Since it's going to cost thousands of dollars of your student fees to make it happen, you have the right to know who's behind it and why.

Students for Justice in Palestine and CalServe are running the recall effort because they hate what I stand for. It's that simple. But of course, they can't get away with saying that, so they lie. They could learn a thing from Fergie.

SJP does not believe that Israel has the right to exist. For years, SJP has used the façade of political activism to harass and intimidate students who have beliefs different from their own. Now, they have taken their hatred and bully-tactics to a new low by trying to eradicate me, a pro-Israel student, from the Senate at the expense of the entire student body. Members of SJP purport ridiculous claims about me to justify their political agenda, but the legal system sees right through them, and the student body does too. They tell lies, lies, and more lies. That SJP's blatant lies are costing the student body so much money is selfish and deplorable.

The CalServe political party is SJP's partner in wasting thousands of your dollars and dragging the student body through a baseless, wasteful smear campaign. The recall petition was distributed using dozens of CalServe listserves and the petition itself, which was written by an SJP member, reads like a roster of CalServe party members. The CalServe executives, senators, and officials support the recall effort and are working with SJP to make sure it happens. For a party that talks about protecting student fees, CalServe has no problem blowing $25,000 amidst of a budget crisis. CalServe, put your money where your mouth is, and stop lying.

The CalServe-SJP alliance is strong. So strong that CalServe is going to run two of SJP's leaders for executive positions in the upcoming Spring Elections: Kifah Shah and Isaac Miller. The CalServe candidate for ASUC President is going to be Oscar Mairena, whose chat status during a contentious Senate meeting earlier this year was, "Fuck heterosexuality and Free Palestine." It's no wonder they're trying to recall me…

Over the last few months, the Judicial Council has made many questionable rulings regarding the recall, including one saying the obviously vague petition was somehow specific enough. But as frustrating as its rulings are, the Judicial Council is not the problem. While the Daily Cal endorses me, SJP and CalServe are the ones who have hijacked the student body and are holding it hostage for $25,000.

The situation is quite simple: Those trying to recall me did not want me elected in the first place. If elections were held again today, I would receive as many votes as I did last spring. Oddly, this election requires that I get drastically more votes to keep my seat than I did to win it originally. That, along with the fact that CalServe-SJP can waste so much of your money by telling lies, means we're dealing with a backwards, unfair and illogical process. So, the result of the recall election itself is meaningless. I have not lost any support. The goliath CalServe-SJP machinery is simply squashing opposition. Taking this mockery seriously only lends it undeserved legitimacy.

In reality, all this is far bigger than me. Consider the future. Do we want to create an environment that engages students in dialogue, offers a variety of opinions and allows them to have their own beliefs on important issues? Or do we want a monochromatic, skewed version that reflects the political ambitions of an intolerant faction? I ask because by pressing for an irresponsible recall election, CalServe and SJP have set us on a path towards the latter. I only hope we can work together and make wise decisions to right the ship and uphold the proud values of UC Berkeley.

Tags: JOHN MOGHTADER, ASUC SENATE