Last week the College Republicans held their annual “Morals Week,” described by some as “the only week out of the year when they admit to legislating morality.” This year the College Democrats also held a Morals Week, which they used to challenge the idea that the Democratic Party has no original ideas of their own.

On Monday the College Republicans kicked off their week with “Red State Day,” celebrating the fact that 31 states were “red” in the 2004 election, meaning they voted for President Bush.

“In 2004 Bush won by three percent of the popular vote,” said Patrick Tutwiler, President of the College Democrats. “All ‘Red State Day’ is celebrating is the fact that Republicans are rednecks that live in the middle of nowhere, whereas Democrats tend to live in larger cities where they’re exposed to people of other races and last names.”

“Red State Day” showcased speeches from seven local and state government leaders and climaxed with Vernon Robinson, a candidate for the US House of Representatives. Robinson, like many major speakers invited by the College Republicans, is against gay rights, something he used much of his speech to illustrate.

The UNCG College Republicans have in the past declined to adopt a stance opposing gay rights, even holding a joint event with PRIDE last semester, but their choice of speakers led some to question the ambiguous message.

College Republican Philip Blattenberger explained, “We’re not against gay rights, it’s just that most prominent Republican speakers are, and we support their message. I mean, we don’t support THE MESSAGE, but we invite them to say it. That is, not to say that specifically, but to say the other things that they say. I’m not homophobic.”

Melissa Westmoreland, College Republicans president, explained why Robinson was invited as a speaker. “We were just amazed that we found a black Republican, they’re like an endangered species. I think they’re actually outnumbered by pandas.”

The College Democrats’ Morals Week, a direct imitation of the College Republicans’ event, annoyed several members of the College Republicans. “They’re just copying us. It’s completely unoriginal,” said CR Secretary Danielle Pheagin. “I guess that’s what you can expect from the Democrats.”

But College Democrat Vice President Sam Bickett had a different view. “The Republicans started Morals Week as a protest of PRIDE Week. Now they’re upset that we’re protesting their week with our own? I guess that’s what you can expect from the Republicans.”

When asked about Morals Week being created in opposition to PRIDE Week, Philip Blattenberger responded, “It’s not so much that we oppose PRIDE, it’s that we disagree with certain things they do. Not that we oppose gay rights. We just don’t agree on some topics. Gay rights isn’t necessarily one of those topics. I’m not homophobic.”

Many thought the College Democrats Morals Week left much to be desired. “The Republicans brought in congressmen and held events. The Democrats set up a table in the EUC,” said UNCG Sophomore Brandon Jacks. “That’s what you do when you’re selling raffle tickets. I can get a table if I wanted to, you just sign up. No big guests, no medical marijuana samples, nothing?”

College Republican events brought protests from other groups as well. The International Socialist Organization protested Wednesday’s “Support Our Troops Day,” which the College Republicans used to show their support for military personnel, especially military recruiters. The ISO held a demonstration behind the EUC displaying posters with messages such as, “War Pimps Lie.”

Staff Sergeant Jim Pitts said after seeing the protest, “See? That’s what I’m talking about. It’s hard out here for a pimp, when you’re trying get the troops inside the tents.”

PRIDE Week started this week with an event titled “GLBTQSCTBSPWLHFDJSWHJSTSHFCOBJTOYDLWCSA…wtf?” It intends to raise awareness of people who identify with that label, which stands for “Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Questioning Straight Crooked Tops Bottoms Sides People-who-like-to-have-a-few-drinks-and-see-what-happens, Just-stick-it-in-there-and-see-how-it-feels, Come-on-babe-just-this-once-and-if-you-don’t-like-it-we-can-stop allied Student Association.”

	Tagged with: college democrats, college republican, college republicans, education, gay rights, hate week, melissa westmoreland, morals, morals week, pandas, president bush, racism, rednecks, republicans, speakers, student. This entry was posted on Thursday, April 6th, 2006 at 3:17 pm and is filed under Faux News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.