# Idiots at my Alma Mater **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 1, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371 "2007-05-01T20:41:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/1 "2007-05-01T20:41:58Z")
I just got this e-mail forwarded to me concerning an “event” scheduled for May 1st, 2007. I’ve removed identifying information: > [@](#): > > From: ### > To: ### > Cc: ### > Sent: Monday, April 30, 2007 2:18 PM > Subject: at UC Davis - “Catch the Immigrant” > Very sad to think a group of students at UC Davis would be so malicious. > To dehumanize and call it a game - Shame on them! > > ### > > Begin forwarded message: > > From: “###” \<###@ucdavis.edu\> > Date: April 30, 2007 2:00:08 PM PDT > To: ###@ucdavis.edu > Subject: Tomorrow, “Catch the Immigrant” > > Dear Chicana/o Latino/a Students, > > I just wanted to inform everyone on a “game” that the Davis College > Republicans have decided to play tomorrow, May 1st @ 12pm in the MU Quad. > The “game” is titled “Illegal Immigration Capture the Flag” and it’s > purpose is to have a team dressed as INS and another dressed as “illegals.” > How ironic that they have chosen to play this “game” during La Raza > Cultural Days and on May 1st, the day of the worker and of the Immigrant. > MEChA and many many other student organizations that feel this is a > horrible mockery of everything that immigrants have done for this country, > will be holding a peaceful counter- protest to show that what they think is > “funny” is totally unacceptable. On behalf of MEChA, I invite you to join > us in solidarity. Gracias. > > ::Below is an excerpt of what was posted on facebook:: > > Hey All!! DCR is sponsoring a rousing game of Illegal Immigration > Capture the Flag! > > When: Tuesday, May 1st (tomorrow) > Time: 12:30-2 (drop by whenever you can!) > Where: The Quad > > We will be playing Capture the Flag with two teams: The INS and the > Illegal Immigrants. The trick is that the INS will have their hands > tied behind their backs, the Illegal Immigrants team will vastly > outnumber the INS team, and every 10 minutes the Illegals caught will > be granted amnesty and set free. > > ### > > ###@ucdavis.edu > > ### Now, I don’t have an account on Facebook, so I can’t check the particulars of this event. The administrator of th e-mail list on which I received it, though, is quite reputable and connected with the University. I don’t know which surprises me more, the fact that these idiots are doing this at all or that they’re evidently unaware of the similar stupid stunts along with the backlash at other universities fairly recently. As I type this, it’s 5:41 am KST May 2nd, which is 1:41 am PDT May 1st. That means the “event” was supposed to commence at one hour and 41 minutes ago. Any Dopers there happen to notice any of this stupidity? ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/2 "2007-05-01T20:45:55Z")
Do you know who “DCR” is? ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/3 "2007-05-01T20:48:04Z")
It sez in the second nested level of email forwarding in **Monty** ’s quoted message that the sponsoring group is the Davis College Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/4 "2007-05-01T20:49:06Z")
This is “satire”. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/5 "2007-05-01T21:05:30Z")
We are so fortunate that the First Amendment protects idiocy as well. I wish they wouldn’t do this. But if we kicked every group off campus that decided to act in the theater of the stupid, you’d have an empty quad. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/6 "2007-05-01T21:11:46Z")
Republicans on various campuses have begun matching the “other side” in idiocy in recent years. They create an offensive event to try to make their political point. The more people protest, the more they get their message out. The ones I have seen in the press: - Affirmative Action Bake Sales (cookies are priced based on race and gender) - Catch the Immigrant (I think the first was at Columbia last year) ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/7 "2007-05-01T21:16:09Z")
[QUOTE=stolichnaya] This is “satire”. [/QUOTE] Surely you are right. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/8 "2007-05-01T22:14:59Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] I don’t know which surprises me more, the fact that these idiots are doing this at all or that they’re evidently unaware of the similar stupid stunts along with the backlash at other universities fairly recently. [/QUOTE] Which idiots, MEChA? > [@](#): > > “General membership shall consist of any student who accepts, believes and works for the goals and objectives of MEChA, including the liberation of AZTLAN, meaning self-determination of our people in this occupied state and the physical liberation of our land.” ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/9 "2007-05-01T22:52:45Z")
I say this as an avowed enemy of the College Republicans, and their affiliated creepy orgs like Young Conservatives - but it’s a pretty slick strategy. They call up the most offensive event imaginable, whether it be “catch the immigrant” or “affirmative action bake sales,” then they cancel because of shrill, PC libruls. But they get a camera in their faces and can spout some idiocy. They’re bastards but they only exist to rabble rouse, and then they’ll run for office. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/10 "2007-05-01T23:23:50Z")
[QUOTE=Hippy Hollow] I say this as an avowed enemy of the College Republicans, and their affiliated creepy orgs like Young Conservatives - but it’s a pretty slick strategy. They call up the most offensive event imaginable, whether it be “catch the immigrant” or “affirmative action bake sales,” then they cancel because of shrill, PC libruls. But they get a camera in their faces and can spout some idiocy. [/QUOTE] Usually the idiocy they’ll spout will be something along the lines of they’re “being oppressed” and how they’re “the real victims” in this whole matter. Aside from that, this is a bit of a non-story. “College Republicans Act Like Assholes” is a headline that belongs in the same group as “Water is Wet” and “Sun Rises in the East”. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/11 "2007-05-01T23:34:34Z")
I doubt it’s satire. Penn State’s Republican club tried to have a similar event last semester. [Link](http://www.pardonmyenglish.com/archives/2006/04/catch_an_illega.html), [link](http://www.campusprogress.org/page/community/post_group/main/C3Mh) and [link](http://chronicle.com/news/article/288/college-republicans-catch-themselves-on-illegal-alien-game). ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2007, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/12 "2007-05-01T23:50:04Z")
Is there any evidence that this event was carried out or even planned? So far, I can find no mention of the event on any national or California or Davis news outlet. No mention that it occurred. No mention that it was planned or cancelled. * * * [QUOTE=mks57] Which idiots, MEChA? > [@](#): > > “General membership shall consist of any student who accepts, believes and works for the goals and objectives of MEChA, including the liberation of AZTLAN, meaning self-determination of our people in this occupied state and the physical liberation of our land.” [/quote] Do you happen to have a **MEChA** citation for this? The last time this got trotted out, it turned out to have been either taken from the earlier group, _Aztlán_, and has no relationship to MEChA or it was invented by some opponents of MEChA, I forget which. I’m not sure that trying to show that current Republican collegians are only as stupid as a radical college group from over thirty years ago, when radicalism was in vogue, is much of a defense, in any event. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/13 "2007-05-02T00:33:06Z")
Current MEChA Constitution: [http://www.panam.edu/orgs/mecha/nt\_const.html](http://www.panam.edu/orgs/mecha/nt_const.html) > [@](#): > > Preamble > > Chicano and Chicana students of Aztlán must take upon themselves the responsibilities to promote Chicanismo within the community, politicizing our Raza with an emphasis on indigenous consciousness to continue the struggle for the self-determination of the Chicano people **for the purpose of liberating Aztlán**. > The following structure will make every MEChista accountable to its chapter, every chapter accountable to it’s central (where applicable), every central accountable to its region, every region accountable to its state (where applicable), and every state accountable to the national. Emphasis mine. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/14 "2007-05-02T00:57:11Z")
[QUOTE=mks57] Current MEChA Constitution: . . . Emphasis mine. [/QUOTE] I note that there is only a vague reference to liberating “_Aztlán_” with no defition of what that means, no claims regarding the state being “occupied,” and no claim of any “physical liberation of our land.” The movement has long since backed off the claims of its predecessors and is now directed toward a more spiritual or metaphysical freedom: > [@](#): > > **Section 1**. National MEChA outlines the following organizational objectives: > A) To strive for educational, cultural, economical, political, and social empowerment within the Chicano community in order to liberate nuestra gente; > B) To undertake the responsibility of retaining our identity and furthering our cultural awareness; > C) To undertake the responsibility of uplifting and mobilizing Chicanos and Chicanas through higher education; > D) To implement plans of action concerning Chicanos and Chicanas. ---
**Author:** ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/15 "2007-05-02T02:01:20Z")
I got that email too, but was out of town and unable to see if it actually took place. Last time I remember them pulling a stunt like this to get cameras in their faces, it was “Republican Coming Out Day” or some such thing to make a mockery or LGBTIA awareness week. Was on the Daily Show I believe. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/16 "2007-05-02T04:10:24Z")
The College Republicans did that on my campus a while back, it was the kind of thing where about 15 people showed up for Catch the Immigrant, and more than 100 came out for the protest against the Catch the Immigrant event. From a student development perspective, I count it as a win for my side (my side is the side of not making an ass of yourself in public) so I’m a fairly strong advocate of _not_ canceling this sort of thing when it comes up. ---
**Author:** ![T\_SQUARE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@T\_SQUARE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T_SQUARE)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/17 "2007-05-02T04:27:07Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] I just got this e-mail forwarded to me concerning an “event” scheduled for May 1st, 2007. I’ve removed identifying information: Now, I don’t have an account on Facebook, so I can’t check the particulars of this event. The administrator of th e-mail list on which I received it, though, is quite reputable and connected with the University. I don’t know which surprises me more, the fact that these idiots are doing this at all or that they’re evidently unaware of the similar stupid stunts along with the backlash at other universities fairly recently. As I type this, it’s 5:41 am KST May 2nd, which is 1:41 am PDT May 1st. That means the “event” was supposed to commence at one hour and 41 minutes ago. Any Dopers there happen to notice any of this stupidity? [/QUOTE] It would piss me off that an official university distribution list would send out anything relating to a political what-have-you. Just because you _can_ email everyone affiliated with a school doesn’t mean you _should_. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/18 "2007-05-02T04:58:21Z")
Wouldn’t that depend on the issue? In this case, it falls under a minority rights issue. ---
**Author:** ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/19 "2007-05-02T05:00:28Z")
From what I understand, they didn’t actually play, claiming there “wasn’t enough room on the Quad”, so they held up some signs and tried to ignore the fact that they were horribly outnumbered. ---
**Author:** ![T\_SQUARE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@T\_SQUARE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T_SQUARE)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371/20 "2007-05-02T05:07:39Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] Wouldn’t that depend on the issue? In this case, it falls under a minority rights issue. [/QUOTE] Well, it wouldn’t depend on the issue with me, I be pissed off if I got an email from my old school that wanted me to take action against puppy kicking. I don’t know the nature of the list, and YRMV, of course. If I got an email every time there was some kind of dust up at my old school, I’d have a full inbox. And it’s a lot of responsibility to heap on one person to decide what issues merit notifying thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people. Now who should I call about football tickets? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-my-alma-mater/402371.md?page=2)