Brown is home to a vibrant and energetic progressive community with a number of groups that share common values and work toward common goals. The Brown Democrats, who number more than 1,000 student members, are dedicated to uniting the progressive community both on and off campus and working to effect positive change for our community at large.
While Nathaniel Lepp's column ("An uncensored look at the Brown Dems," Nov. 1) made for interesting reading, his "Lord of the Flies" account of the Brown Democrats is, unfortunately, far from accurate. Here's the unexaggerated, unembellished version.
In 2002 the Brown Democrats joined with the Brown chapter of the International Socialist Organization to form the Students Against War in Iraq coalition. Eventually our predecessors at the Brown Dems decided to withdraw from the coalition after leaders of the ISO, at a war protest rally that drew hundreds of people, began extolling the virtues of Leninist Communism. This caused hundreds to leave the rally and, needless to say, was counterproductive.
In 2004 the Socialist and Communist chapters at Brown were disbanded by the Student Activities Office after they failed to respond to repeated requests to reconstitute. After two months with no response, the SAO assigned their office space in Faunce 301 to the Brown Democrats. Both the Brown Democrats and the SAO attempted to contact the previous occupants of the office and ask them which materials they wished to save. After three months with no response, the SAO asked us to clean out the office.
After sorting through a roomful of leftover belongings from the old Socialist and Communist clubs, we delivered four boxes of books, records and other materials to the John Hay Library to store in their archives in order to maintain the histories of the now defunct organizations. The rest of what was left in the room - what Nate refers to as "the record of a generation of history" - was in fact no more than stacks of warped, handmade signs; wooden stakes with protruding nails; a broken, decaying papier-mâché effigy; and, yes, a collection of old condoms. After waiting three months for a reply from the old occupants, we decided we couldn't function effectively without disposing of this garbage.
But the real issue isn't how the Brown Democrats empty the trash in the office. Like Lepp said, it's about the cooperation of progressive groups on and off campus and our concerted efforts to elect forward-thinking candidates and advocate for issues important to our community. As Brown Democrats, we can't achieve our goals alone. We thrive on the energy and dedication of other progressive groups on campus, with which many of our members are also deeply involved, and to say that our organization is somehow motivated to exclude these groups is not only untrue, but counterintuitive. We believe strongly that the progressive cause can only succeed when everyone has a seat at the table and when we cooperate to achieve our common objectives.
This is why we've made it our goal to bring the progressive community together. We've collaborated with the Brown Green Party on our voter registration drive, we're working with Students for Sensible Drug Policy on the right-to-vote campaign, and we're assisting the Darfur Coalition in its lobbying efforts to pass the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act in Congress. We've cosponsored countless events with other progressive groups over the years, and we dedicate time at the beginning of each general body meeting exclusively for other groups to announce activities and recruit volunteers.
Recently we broke tradition and invited our city councilman, David Segal, a Green Party member running for re-election, to speak at our general body meeting on issues of city housing and environmental protection. Because speakers at general body meetings traditionally talk about their candidacy and recruit volunteers, many Brown Dems were pensive about hosting a Green Party candidate who is opposing a progressive Democrat in the race. But because of our concern for maintaining a spirit of open dialogue and progressive unity, we invited Mr. Segal to not only discuss issues important to the city but to work closely with our Local Politics Committee to organize and campaign for positive change in Providence.
Despite the sensational fiction, Lepp got one thing right: when the Left fights the Left, the Right wins. By spreading sensational half-truths about fellow progressives, we only serve to further fracture our community and weaken our cause. We as Brown Democrats have prided ourselves on being at the forefront of the activist movement for over 20 years, working to unite progressives and hone our common identity to improve our communities. We encourage anyone who shares our values to join us in our cause.
Tor Tarantola '08 is the communications chair of the Brown College Democrats.
