Black bears are like golden bears

As humans, we naturally take sides on certain things. 

We learn this profound characteristic as children. We talk back to our parents when we do not agree with something they tell us to do. We get in fights with our siblings when we want something that they have. Here at Ole Miss, especially right now, we know a little bit about conflicting parties involved in a pretty significant occurrence.

Since the athletics situation has been blown completely out of proportion lately and since our football team is playing in California this weekend, it only seems fitting that we take our minds to the west coast for a few minutes. 

Instead of going to Fresno, we are going to the home of the California Golden Bears—Berkeley.

At the University of California-Berkeley, there is a huge standoff going on between supporters of a California Senate bill that would allow California universities to consider race, gender, ethnicity and national origin during the admissions process and College Republicans that do not support the bill.

When the Berkeley College Republicans received word that the school’s student government, the Associated Students of Cal-Berkeley, were going to hold a phone bank in support of the bill, they decided to take very drastic measures to combat the student government’s views. 

The College Republicans held a bake sale - just yards from the phone bank. The “Increase Diversity Bake Sale” sold baked goods to people for specific prices based on gender and ethnicity.

The sale’s prices were $2.00 for whites, $1.50 for Asians, $1.00 for Latinos, 45 cents for blacks and 25 cents for Native Americans. All females got an additional 25 cents marked off their respective prices. 

Both sides held strong until the very end of the event, and both definitely proved a point. 

I tend to side with the College Republicans; if for no other reason than because of the general idea behind their actions and beliefs.

Granted, California is a completely different place than Mississippi. However, I cannot understand how race, gender, ethnicity and national origin matters when an admissions board is evaluating whether or not to accept a student. 

At Ole Miss, things would have to be different if a bill like this was passed in Mississippi. Certainly, we would need to know who is on the admissions board and each of their races, genders, ethnicity and nationalities. 

If nothing else, the proposed bill in California would complicate things. 

There would be much more room for error on the admission board’s part. Taking into consideration the characteristics of the proposed bill would put more pressure on members of admission boards.

The bake sale at Cal-Berkeley was a very blunt way to prove a point. It was done in a peaceful manner and got positive national attention. 

The College Republicans were successful in doing what they wanted to do, and they stood up for what they believed in.

Making my way back to Ole Miss now, it is very refreshing to know that we are not the only university going through a major conflict. We should take notes from the College Republicans at Berkeley. 

Maybe thinking things through before complaining could get us somewhere. Maybe taking action and standing up for what we believe in is the way to go instead of cowering behind negative newspaper advertisements and Facebook groups. 

Above all, we should stand up for what we believe is right, and do something about it.

Adam Ganucheau is a sophomore journalism major from Hazlehurst. Follow him on Twitter @GanucheauAdam.