Saturday, July 12, 2008

The Few, The Idealistic, The Independents!


The funny thing about Student Government at the University of Florida is that no matter how bad it gets, that spark that every Independent counts on, rarely ever sets the stage for dynamic change. Absent treasurer, absent applicant, it's only going to get worse, but there's a certain level of comfort taken by the despots in power - there's the comfort that their good ole boy network shalt prevail!

The Independents can hoard all the demonstrative evidence they'd like, they can get testimonials, they can launch creative referendums, they can even come to the rescue of the students time after time, but like lambs to the slaughter, the students will consistently elect those least suited to fight on behalf of their interests.

ReillY, however, will be different. This administration will sink UFSG quite conceivably to the very bottom of the barrel. I predict it will get so bad, that for the first time in a long time, we'll see turncoats, but from the System side to the Independents. I have a feeling people will grow so disgusted with Reilly, that they will rather get voted out, than be associated with his kind for posterity.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Haha, please. People switch side to the losers? You really need to give this up.

Anonymous said...

We want Miorelli, fast track his interview so we can get it before he is out of Senate at the end of summer.

Christian Duque said...

What separates our kind from you, is that we are determined to bring about progressive, meaningful change to UF. Many of us fail in our quest to get elected, those few of us that 'make it,' often feel guilty for not having done enough.

Anyone can be a system tool. Anyone can wear letters and take orders, but it's the GDI that puts it all on the line, knowing that at the end of the day he/she may have 'nothing.'

In time our roots will be as cemented as yours; in time the Independent tradition will rise up. I don't want a job or a free drink, I'm not looking for a handout like so many of you are in your 'networking.'

I want to see the best candidates win and I'm sick of system bureaucrats taking everything but the kitchen sink from SG. This era is on its way out.

Anonymous said...

But Christian, thats the point. We take everything we can out of our SG experience. We have fun, work hard and make friends. Some of these friends become lifelong friends who we will work with in the real world, politics, business, law etc. Thats the point, SG is not the real world...its part of college. Training for the real world. The "system" kids seem to get this a lot better than the "GDI" including you Christian. There are few 25 year old former system senators doing daily updates about student government. Thats because they're in the real world.

Anonymous said...

Tools in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiVxc_yRbmM

Sadly, this was likely the biggest accomplishment during the Weiss Era.

Anonymous said...

System leaders like Nikki Fried once did the daring thing to join forces with the "losers" on the GDI side.

It can happen again, if the circumstances are ripe for it.

I am not as optimistic as Christian, of course. And such a coalition of rebel greeks and independents would need something more than just ambition to win (see Unite in 06, Swamp in 02). They'll need some issue to run on. Nikki's group left in part over the BOCC's financial autonomy.

One reason I'm pessimistic now is that the issue of absentee leaders over the summer just isn't really enough. O&B will need to make a larger, more unifying theme about integrity to make use of these issues.

Take my advice, or not. I don't care. I'll find it entertaining either way.

Anonymous said...

WE WANT SAM

Christian Duque said...

you're funny 9:55. I can point to frail, semi-senile old men still furthering the scope of FBK. My own fraternity's House Corp. was full of older men that believed in us, the younger kids, where the youngest member was possibly 50YRS OLD!.

You may see SG has a playing ground and many of the system drones will prolly agree with you, but that's because none of you give the students the RESPECT they deserve.

You don't respect the students, b/c you ignore their will (e.g. Online Voting). You don't respect the institution (as you have top officials "on leave" for entire terms and you hire applicants by cell-phone).

It's sad that those that are in "the game" for personal advancement far exceed the 'success' of those that really want to bring about change and make their own bones in 'the real world' on their own dime, not against the backs of the students that elected them to high office.

That's difference between the Independents, the GDI's and you people.

Thank You.

Anonymous said...

Give us SAM or give us death!

Anonymous said...

For once, Duque's on to something. There are high-profile members of the System secretly planning on ditching us next Spring, and they think they're being sneaky about it. What they don't know is that they're already being slowly locked out. Poor kids.

I can't say much more without revealing who they are, but they know. And the indies know. And, most importantly, we know.

Anonymous said...

If the independents are so idealistic, why do they all think the same thing?

Anonymous said...

Eric and Sam don't think the same thing; Mark and Frank don't think the same thing; Kyle and Rhonda don't think the same thing; Cain and Josh Horton don't think the same thing...etc.

All you have to do is look at when they and you notice they all will speak against each other in a heartbeat. They are organized disorganization

Anonymous said...

No Greeks are going to OB. A schism of the united system, ifc, pc, mgc, nphc is inevitable at some point. It could happen this Spring