Fuck Kitty, OSPIRG
In an attempt to help the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group regain its funding from the ASUO in the coming school year, Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy insulted both UO students’ intelligence and what brittle shards remain of the UO student government’s institutional integrity last week at the OSPIRG kickoff meeting.
OSPIRG faces a battle to regain funding this year and, undoubtedly, sees Piercy’s support as a big gun in that battle. OSPIRG is a political advocacy organization that, in theory, pushes issues selected by students in circles of governmental power.
For years, with one interruption, it was funded through the ASUO, until in 2009 the student government voted to stop funding it, owing to doubts about the way in which it used its money. OSPIRG is not the only organization in the state named “OSPIRG”: It shares that title, offices and most of its staff with the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group, a lobbying group with a much larger budget. The Oregon State PIRG can lobby; the law prevents the Oregon Student PIRG, or any organization that accepts public money, such as the ASUO’s, from doing so. In theory, Oregon Student PIRG is controlled by students; Oregon State PIRG answers to its donors.
The fear, then, for those who fought and revoked the Oregon Student PIRG’s funding, was that people who didn’t answer to students were controlling the allocation of more than $100,000 of their money, and that they were using it, indirectly, to pay for things it couldn’t legally pay for. This charge was never proven outright, but the Oregon Student PIRG could never coherently answer it either.
Which brings us to the present day, and Piercy’s appearance, which was risible. The ASUO works imperfectly, but it exists for two important reasons. First, it allows UO students some control, albeit limited, over their academic destiny, their most powerful outlet for influencing how their education is administered. The UO administration has, quite frankly, spent the last decade mercilessly rat-fucking everyone who depends on this university, then lying through its teeth about it, often to the effect, if not necessarily for the purpose, of filling the coffers of those in power, so having some sort of weapon, however imperfect and tragically dormant, for students to change that is important.
Second, college is an insulator from the issues that affect much of the enfranchised populace. Most UO students have the privilege of not having to work to support themselves. What real stake can they have in the wider political issues that play out, even on a local political scale? If the ASUO botches a funding decision, students can see themselves suffering for it, even if it only deprives them of a football ticket or a ride home from a party. Students get the opportunity to make these decisions for themselves. It’s a dry run for being involved in the democratic process, a lesson the UO, intentionally or not, doles out in the cruel and arbitrary nature of government.
When a prominent politician, one who is reasonably popular among UO students, comes in to the equation, and tries to influence a funding decision to be made by UO students concerning their own money, it’s an insult, and a threat to the autonomy of that decision. Kitty Piercy has no stake in the allocation of UO resources, beyond, to put the most idealistic spin possible on things, her stake in the outcomes OSPIRG purports to seek in wider government.
At one point in her address to the rally, the Emerald reported, “She said that when she tries to deal with a national issue in the city’s budget, there is opposition all along the way, drawing the comparison between a tax-funded city budget and the student incidental fee.
‘”What they do at the federal level comes to live here in our homes, in our lives … Sorry, but I actually breathe this air,’ Piercy said.”
Fair enough. We hear you all the way, Kitty. But if the air you breathe is that important to you, you have your own municipal budget. OSPIRG is an organization tailor-made to accept government funding, and it would be perfectly legal to fund it through the city. Why don’t you cut off a slice of the City of Eugene’s budget for OSPIRG, rather than trying to bully and guilt-trip UO students into using their own meager fees to pay for your clean air? See how popular it is when you try to throw $100,000 of Eugene taxpayers’ money at a political advocacy organization.
If you’re not willing to do that, go fill some fucking potholes and get out of our business.
Meeow!
Aplauso!
Her visit and advocacy was insulting and disheartening. I’d like to think the person who runs our town has a better grasp on why the opposition exists to an issue, but clearly, in this instance, she is at best uninformed, or at worst corrupt.
I’m not supposed to have an opinion or anything, but I wholeheartedly agree. Also, I’m getting very uneasy about the relationship between ASUO Exec. and OSPIRG. Scratch that, I’ve always been suspicious about it. It’s bullshit.
P.S,
It is almost sad that the best description and justification of the ASUO I have ever read comes from a Commentator Editorial (paragraphs 5-7).
Usually the line goes ” The ASUO is the voice of students.” I vividly remember having to listen to four consecutive “I will be your voice” speeches for sixth grade student council. No more, please.
Really, really well done editorial. Bravo. I hope this makes the next print issue.
It’s ironic that an organization that is supposed to engage in political advocacy has made the absolute dumbest tactical decisions regarding their own funding.
First, the year after they lost their funding they presented a relatively moderate ACFC a budget proposal that was literally the exact same as the previous years and did nothing to address concerns that anyone besides a most ardent OSPIRG supporter would raise. Then they chose an even more cockamamie strategy by waging a highly visible, highly obnoxious campus wide referendum where a positive result would have exactly ZERO impact on their funding. Honestly, they would have been better off doing nothing for a year and then asking for a miniscule budget in order to get their foot in the door.
I would never want an organization this stupid advocating on my behalf.