Comments on: UNO College Republicans

By: Gary Di

Gary Di — Sat, 29 Oct 2005 19:53:42 +0000

Poor Devon. Takes almost two months to comment on a September 8 blog entry. Wants to talk about raising the level of debate, then calls people he disagrees with a “rat” and an “idiot.” Devon, take a hint. Devon’s party is falling apart in Washington. This week alone, Scooter has scat, your “most qualified” Supreme Court nominee has imploded, and the war in Iraq (entered on false or manufactured information) has now claimed more than 2,000 American lives. At home in Nebraska, the GOP appears to be in turmoil, with two statewide incumbent Republican officials facing challenges in the Republican primary. As for the buttons, poor Devon is likely to be disturbed more and more every day, because I understand the buttons are selling like hotcakes. Who’s the idiot now?

By: Devon Horner

Devon Horner — Sat, 29 Oct 2005 06:59:21 +0000

Is it too much to ask of the College Democrats to not lower the discourse to four letter words and display their insidious (some of them) buttons all over campus? A little hint-it makes you look foolish. Things along the line of the “F— Bush” merchandise is why the Democratic party still can’t gain traction. I particularly love when all the 4th Graders are visiting campus and you people have these things all over your backpacks like the Air America puppets too many of you are. That’s really the image we want to portray at a supposed institute of higher learning.
Moreover, I think we can all agree that Ryan is a rat. Any intellectually honest person knows it’s cheap and tawdry to purchase a domain name of someone who disagrees with you ideologically. Maybe he’s been listening to another idiot, Heath Mello, who claims it is done to get the other side to think harder about making their tactics more effective.
Stop drinking the Kool-Aid, stop selling the F-Bush buttons, and engage on the issues. Otherwise we’re going to be bleeding red in this state for a very long time.

By: Daniel O

Daniel O — Wed, 28 Sep 2005 06:47:27 +0000

well bill i think john mccain would fit in nicely

By: robin

robin — Wed, 28 Sep 2005 05:35:36 +0000

the key word Bill is public place. the University is a public institution and last time I checked the students on campus were covered by the first amendment.
If you don’t like our buttons don’t buy one. The fact of the matter is that we started out with buck fush buttons and students yes the students and staff and faculty asked that we change the letters around.

that button is actually our second best seller. So, not everyone is as offended as some or else they wouldn’t be flying off the tables.
The buttons are gimicks. They are our way of expressing dissent.
I am really sorry that people think criticism of the president has to be done in such a genteel way.

As for hating any republican ..I leave the broad based hatred and intolerance up to the right it seems to be the one thing that they are doing so well right now.

By: bill

bill — Wed, 28 Sep 2005 04:50:05 +0000

I don’t really care what you think about the President…. You’d hate any Republican, and that’s not the issue.

The issue is selling buttons with profanities on them in the middle of a public place.

By: Robin

Robin — Wed, 28 Sep 2005 00:30:45 +0000

About our buttons I used this quote before in my letter to the editor in the Gateway last fall and I am posting it here again for all of our critics to read.

“The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else.”

“Roosevelt in the Kansas City Star”, 149
May 7, 1918

I can not for the life of fathom when it became unpatriotic to criticize the president. I think that is something that Bush is sorely missing from his own party and his administration.

And can someone please tell me why it ok for the Vice President of The United States to tell another american to “Go Fuck themselves” and there be no outrage by the right or the evangelicals that have taken over the Republican party but,
everyone gets their panties in a bunch if a bunch of college students tell the President to fuck off.

Maybe we should be debating the fact that under republican rule Nebraska came in dead last in economic development or , that we have the largest federal defeceit in history or that a lot of debt is held by China of all places.

My bag I guess going after College Students for selling a button that is one Of our most popular ones( supply and Demand) is easier than holding this President and his administration accountable for its’ miserable failures.

By: Jared

Jared — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 20:35:40 +0000

Molly, I disagree with your position on our buttons. Every American should respect the office of the presidency, but does not necessarily have to respect the person. There is a clear distinction between the two, but I am sorry that you didn’t recognize it.
I also would argue that although it would seem that the UNO Democrats just Bash Bush, we actually do more for our party than the UNO Republicans. This is very debatable and the argument has been made many times so I won’t bother backing it up with facts.
Congrats again to the UNO Republicans for keeping their site up to date. I noticed D.H. is still posting on there. Keep it up.

By: Abbey

Abbey — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 19:19:19 +0000

If the fuck bush buttons are soooo horrible, why do we sell so many of them?

By: Molly

Molly — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 15:42:08 +0000

I totally agree with JBG from a non partisan look at both the UNO Democrats and the UNO Republicans; they have completely different approaches towards representing their party on campus. I walked through the student center to see the UNO Democrats have their profane “F” Bush buttons scattered on the table with a few Democrats around the table doing their homework. Remember, even though people disagree with Bush, he still is our President of the United States. There is never a time when everyone is completely happy with the President, but they respect him. That is the image that the Democrats should portray, respect rather than hatred.

Your right Kyle, Be Proud, and try to work to be smart in there the best that you can be. But you don’t have to be disrespectful to get your point across either.

By: Kyle Michaelis

Kyle Michaelis — Sun, 25 Sep 2005 05:26:59 +0000

Mr. JBG-

Though I think you give the College Repbublicans far too much credit, you’re points are generally well-received. Still, I don’t think you grasp the tongue-in-cheek quality of much of the UNO College Democrats’ material. The buttons and fliers are meant to be funny. They’re intended to provoke a response and, yes, push peoples’ buttons. This material isn’t motivated by hate but rather by the old-fashioned, all-American urge to dissent when the powerful abuse their office or simply pursue policies one finds generally disagreeable.

On matters of the environment, civil liberties, and even going to war in Iraq, President Bush has pushed an agenda that should at least give pause to any thinking person. That doesn’t mean they’re actually going to object upon full consideration, but they have a duty to question exactly what’s going on in this country. Frankly, I’m glad the UNO Democrats have been pushing those buttons, asking those questions, and making people consider the other side….even if it offends their sensibilities in the moment. When did we become so scared of a little provocation?

Good point about Bush not being up for re-election, though. There is a certain element of “put-up-or-shut-up” that the Democratic Party owes this country in terms of a comprehensive agenda. Letting the Republican Party destroy itself may make for fun spectatorship, but the cost to this nation is too great for someone not to stand up and offer an alternative rather than watching from the bleachers with finger out-stretched.

Funny how where you see “despair and anger,” I see humor and healing through community-building. Maybe it’s because I’ve been to a meeting and know these are smart, passionate, hopeful young people rather than the embittered cynics you imagine.

Regardless, doesn’t it feel good to be debating this? Damn it, this is what democracy is all about -

Be Loud, Be Proud, and try to work Be Smart in there the best you can!