How to get involved in politics at Berkeley?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>I'm getting rather bored and want to get out more next semester, going round overcrowded frat parties gets old. One of the things I've been looking at is political activism.</p>

<p>Not the straight-laced conventional ones like college Democrats or college Republicans (God forbid!), but preferably the leftist and/or environmental movements which draw in the bohemian types.</p>

<p>Problem is none of my circle of acquaintances, many of whom are apolitical Engineers and the like, are involved in any of this, so I would appreciate it if someone could give useful info as to links, organizations, contacts, the "big picture", etc.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>I could start. At Berkeley, I can safely say that the political communtiy is summed up as such:</p>

<ul>
<li>Environmental</li>
<li>Women’s Rights</li>
<li>Minority Rights: Bridges (Reach!, Raza, NARC, MSU, BRRC, PASS)</li>
<li>LGBTQIQ Rights: QARC, QA (Queer and Asian)</li>
<li>And special for this year: the budget cuts situation
Please google these names for more information!</li>
</ul>

<p>I find that since people join the organizations where they feel most comfortable, that it really comes down to not just what cause you are fighting for, but whether or not you feel like you get along with everyone in the group.</p>

<p>Also, ironically, the straight-laced groups you are talking about tend to be involved in all of the above. So if you want a taste in all of them I highly recommend joining either BCR (Berkeley College Republicans) or CalDems. Though not to be biased but I see Caldems as being participants to all of the above. BCR tends to think a lot of these organizations should not even exist I feel like.</p>

<p>My experience with political activism at Cal? I think politics at Cal is one of the coolest things you can do here. Basically, you are going to a school that draws in a ton of politically involved people who are here to change the world, not just hippies (who are cool too and have great views). </p>

<p>Get ready to have your views attacked, your mind blown away, and your sense of what is right and wrong change over time. I went through all these changes in my freshman year just by joining Bridges, and I really like what new values have evolved from my experience there. For example, my views on the war on drugs have totally changed. I grew up with my sister being a DEA agent, who taught me that prosecution is the best way to deter drug users. But now I feel like education programs about responsible use are the way to go for our tax dollars in addition to enforcement. That is just an example of how I changed.</p>

<p>Now I mainly involve myself with California politics, like overturning Proposition 13’s minority rule.</p>

<p>Wanna know why Cal, and every public school in CA for that matter, do not have so much money? Google that too. </p>

<p>AMA (ask me anything)</p>

3

<p>I suggest you check out the LaRouche PAC table that often comes to Sproul. The students that you will meet there are truly some of the best and brightest at Berkeley, they really make you think WOW! They are open to anyone joining and their political movement is an absolutely fantastic mixture of truly sound and progressive ideas. I wish I had joined. Don’t get caught up in those other little political movements out there, this one is totally legit.</p>

4

<p>I am sorry Firapira, I just had to call your post out as not being impartial. Way to stick a little plug in for LaRouche and not telling the OP that that group will spam you to death and they are conidered very radical on campus.</p>

5

<p>Their ideas are very solid actually. Their theory on how JFK was assassinated by a hungry hippo is almost spot on. There are a few details I think they glossed over but overall it’s really enlightening. If you do read their literature they go into good detail on how the moon landing was faked as well and how the government has deceived us using our own tax paying dollars. I suggest you keep an open mind.</p>

6

<p>@Firapira,</p>

<p>Not interested in LaRouche, sorry, he has a few good ideas but overdoes the nutjob-iness to extremes.</p>

<p>@green-aw-lives,</p>

<p>Thanks, that’s what I was looking for. I think I’ll join CalDems and take it from there.</p>

<p>My main political concern at the moment is raising awareness about issues such as peak oil and accelerating climate change, and getting a broad-based consensus to prepare for them and try to mitigate their effects.</p>

7

<p>That is a really cool cause to have. This might interest you: I know that there are a ton of people at Cal and Caldems who support the California Oil Severance Tax. Basically, we are the only state that does not tax companies to drill for oil in our state reserves. Alaska taxes 25% to the companies for access to their wells, why not us? </p>

<p>Plus, the bill that is going around in the state legislature will have a huge percentage earmarked for public education. That is a win win if you ask me!</p>

<p>And ak_dgg I hope we helped you! Maybe you should check out the co-ops too, and the College of Natural Resources has a huge oil alternative following.</p>

<p>Little fact: did you know that the to-go forks, spoons, and knives found in all of our dining commons are made from corn, and not plastic? So cool!</p>

8

<p>I completely agree with the oil tax idea, such things are standard in almost all nations.</p>

<p>I’m not sure about your other two suggestions. I am in L&S, and I’ve heard bad things about the co-ops (e.g. high crime rates), furthermore, aren’t they just a (relatively) cheap housing option?</p>

9

<p>what’s the name of/link to the budget cuts group? I’d love to get involved with that.</p>

<p>I also have another question-I’m not a UCB student, but can I still join the clubs? The city college has absolutely NO campus life, and the reason I’m moving is so I can get involved before I transfer.</p>

10

<p>@CantabilenApathy: actually anyone can get involved in these groups. I know of a few of my friends who were college transfers who probably had a leg up on their apps because the University noticed that they were already heavily involved with an organization on campus. So join away!</p>

<p>Links for involvement in budget cuts: [Errico</a> (ucbprotest) on Twitter](<a href=“x.com”>x.com) and the now defunct [Your</a> University at Wheeler Hall | Live Week 2009](<a href=“http://liveweek.net/]Your”>http://liveweek.net/) has some good information to start you off. Are you on facebook? That is how organizers have generally gotten the word out very quickly.</p>

<p>@ak_dogg: haha I am in L&S too, and I too agree that the co-ops don’t seem like the best place to live. But I think it is out of that dirtiness that attracts a lot of students to live together and share and formulate ideas about how to live sustainably and what not. I thought it might attract you since you said you were interested with environmental politics, but on second thought I found the scene there a little too radical for myself. Maybe I will see you in Caldems next semester? I have been doing some political work with that group and their constituents.</p>