Letters to the Editor

Senator Justifies Lawsuit

Last week's editorial, "DAAP Should Drop Suit Against ASUC," (Aug. 23, 2004) misses the substantive point of the Defend Affirmative Action Party's (DAAP) lawsuit. Our goal is to defend free speech and student democracy and prevent the infringement of students' rights in the future.

The current ASUC elections by-laws encumber students' free speech and due process rights, which are protected by the U.S. Constitution. Three years ago, almost every major political party was disqualified because of these unconstitutional by-laws, and last spring the entire DAAP slate was disqualified because we appealed a decision by the Judicial Council chair. The disqualification was reversed last week, but the Judicial Council still censured DAAP for asserting our due process rights.

The ASUC by-laws must be changed. As the DAAP representative on the Senate, I will be introducing legislation for the Senate to amend these by-laws so any ASUC candidate will no longer be in danger of being capriciously or politically censured and ultimately disqualified by a biased judiciary.

For forty years, Berkeley has been the proud home of the Free Speech Movement. DAAP is committed to defending this democratic tradition. At a time when underrepresented minority student enrollment is at an all-time low, it is especially important that the campus not further marginalize and silence minority students and their representatives.

If the Daily Cal is interested in student democracy, they should support efforts to protect free speech at UC Berkeley.

Yvette Felarca

ASUC senator

Columnist's Views

Are Ridiculous

Last Thursday's column, "Traditional Values" by Lisa Humes-Schulz, makes absurd statements all too common in the discourse surrounding gay marriage. First is her disappointment the ruling was a "fair judgment based purely on the merits of the law." There are processes for accomplishing goals through government; to ask them to be bypassed because it is an issue that she agrees with is absurd.

Next, Humes-Schulz asserts since ancient civilizations allowed same-sex marriage, it could not possibly be traditional for marriage to be between a man and a woman. There is historical evidence that marriage is a man-woman affair. Most of American history, for example.

Finally, perhaps most absurdly: "God has no place in politics." I don't believe in God, and even I can recognize God's place in politics. The declaration is an antithesis of the separation of church and state, which does not allow the government to declare Americans' moral beliefs politically irrelevant on the basis of their religion.

Justin Azadivar

UC Berkeley student

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