Stuck in the Muck

Despite an academic reputation beyond reproach, parking spaces reserved for Nobel laureates, and a culturally and intellectually diverse student body, it seems that the only thing half your relatives and family friends can think of when they hear "Berkeley" is "zany, pinko protest school" or perhaps "The Naked Guy."

It's not just our parents' generation-my friends at other colleges have often asked me if there are any conservatives at UC Berkeley, only to be shocked to hear the Berkeley College Republicans are one of the largest, most influential clubs on campus.

In fact, the California Patriot, their glossy monthly magazine, is perhaps the only publication on campus to rival the Squelch in notoriety and readership. And generally without sinking to base humor, no less.

But how much remains of the Free Speech Movement-era Berkeley? I mean, sure, there are the residents of the surrounding city, some of whom seem unaware that the 60s have ended, but more Berkeley students spend their time working on problem sets than protest signs.

OK, so if UC Berkeley's political climate isn't summed up by the caricature of an unkempt, sandal-clad hippie shouting through a megaphone about The Man keeping him down, what would a more accurate picture look like?

Well, the cartoon socialist coalition is still alive and well, if for no other reason than the people showing up every year hoping to breathe new life into the vocal minority.

Similarly, the party line, confrontational Republican element isn't huge, but it never seems to shut up.

As much as the extremists would like to claim the voice of the majority, most Berkeley students seem decidedly closer to the center of the political spectrum.

Even many liberal-leaning students align themselves with center-left Democrats rather than the International Socialist Organization or other, more radical wings.

Sure, some try to revive the revolutionary zeal of the late 60s, but most of the incoming class of 2009 looks like they would be more comfortable at a frat house than at Burning Man.

Considering that 40 percent of Americans identify as moderates, this isn't surprising. Even allowing for the idealism brought on by wide-eyed college wonder, the extremes on this campus are so far out there that many are still left in the middle.

Not that this wilderness is somehow inescapable: Last year the Berkeley Moderates were formed, seemingly to fill this gap. At the same time, even the centrists escalate their rhetoric to raise their profile-they call themselves the "radical middle."

If Berkeley is ever going to move beyond the anemic state of constructive discussion and debate, it is going to require more than mailing lists and campus party organizations. While such clubs might be good for voter registration, lobbying and broader party building, they are not conducive to developing and cultivating one's own and others' opinions.

It is ultimately these sorts of challenges that will improve not only our individual understanding of the issues, but also raise the level of debate on campus, free from the limits of partisan dogma.

Berkeley offers so much for politically conscious students that moving toward a higher level of discussion should be a simple matter. Between the libraries, internationally renowned speakers, Institute of Governmental Studies programs and educational events held by campus student groups, there is no shortage of venues to get information-yet the discussion remains at the level of slogans and protest chants.

There are many difficult questions facing us in the coming years-locally, nationally and globally-and we are going to have to find answers somewhere. The Patriot, Smart Ass, socialist newspapers and even the Squelch alone probably won't provide them. The goal, then, should be to provide perspectives different from those ordinarily shouted by the protesters on Sproul or printed in the magazines they distribute.

Political discussion shouldn't only be about getting people to join a revolution, but about trying to get above the swamp that Berkeley's political debate often seems to be mired in.

We may always be seen as fringe protesters, but we can at least try to get involved and educated so the stereotype is no longer the reality.

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