N.Y.U. Student Republicans Mount Jaunty (Racist?) “Immigrant” Hunt

[Ethelk2044]

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/02/22/nyu-student-republicans-mount-jaunty-racist-scavanger-hunt/#comment


February 22, 2007,  8:45 am 
N.Y.U. Student Republicans Mount Jaunty (Racist?) “Immigrant”
Hunt
By Tom Zeller Jr.

Tags: culture, education, immigration, politics, racism,
universities


Tally-ho? (Photo: Laura Pedrick for The New York Times)They’re
not exactly descending upon Washington Square Park with horse
and hound, but members of the College Republican club of New
York University have certainly managed to offend some rather
more proletarian sensibilities with their “Find the Illegal
Immigrant” challenge, scheduled for today between 11 a.m. and
2 p.m.
From The Associated Press: 
[M]embers of the club who present their N.Y.U. identification
become immigration agents looking for an illegal in the crowd.
The agent who successfully identifies the illegal immigrant
wins a gift certificate.
Students have sent club officials e-mails calling the the
event “racist” and “disgusting.” But the club said it is about
stoking debate on the issue of illegal immigrants.
(Further clarification — it seems that an “actor” will play an
“illegal immigrant,” wearing a label saying as much. The first
contestant to find him or her in the crowd will win a prize.)
It’s all a bit reminiscent of the white-students-only
scholarship stunt offered last November by the College
Republicans at Boston University. Those seeking the token $250
award, which was ostensibly designed to spark debate about
race- and ethnicity-based grants, were required to maintain a
3.2 grade-point average, submit a photo, and to describe what
it means to be a Caucasian-American today.
On today’s illegal-immigrant hunt, Sarah Chambers, the
21-year-old president of N.Y.U.’s College Republicans, told
The A.P., “It’s not a racist event, first and foremost. Just
because we don’t want illegal immigrants being able to
completely disregard the laws of our country doesn’t make us
racist.”
Meanwhile, folks over at NYUinc.org, a “radical media Web site
produced by student activists at N.Y.U.,” are planning to
protest the safari. 
“As intelligent, active, anti-racist folks, we want our
actions to support immigrants on campus and in this country,”
the group wrote this morning, “and educate our community about
the realities of immigration in the US today.
“We’ve got banners, stickers, chants, literature, and passion.
Join the 600+ folks who are attending and show that NYU
students are pro-immigrant rights!” 
(An unrelated housekeeping note from the College Republicans’
Web si

[muntrv]

1. Hey repukes! How 'bout playing "find the Army recruiter" and enlist?

[The Sushi Bandit]

2. Dupe from yesterday

[seriousstan]

3. A blog is not LBN.

[Doctor_J]

4. Find the chickenhawk to follow on Tuesday

"It's not an event to mock cowardly armchair warriors" said a spokesman, "but merely to call attention to the fact that there is a disconnect between the College Repuglicans' bellicose talk and their violent knee-knocking when it actually comes time to fight"