Scenes From Campus - "no" Group Activity

[CaribbeanGreen]

Just FYI, make of it what you will....

This morning (Wed 10/15), I observed three of the "YES!" yard signs Flyer showed us here have been vandalized. Two signs, located on the north periphery of campus (think along Oak) Have NO in large blue letters painted (drawn?) across the face of the YES! sign. Another sign, near the union, has been broken off it's mount and is either gone or tossed somewhere nearby. Don't know if there's anything that can be done re: enforcing the rules against this, but if nothing else it illustrates the kind of person we're working with.

On perhaps a more disturbing note, I was leaving Wooten Hall yesterday around 4:30-5pm, when I came across two people (male & female) who looked basically exactly how you'd expect someone adamantly against the referendum to look. They were in the lobby of Wooten (by the snack cart) rounding up herds of students VERY aggressively and leading them to the wall of computer terminals just feet away to get them to vote NO. I spoke to as many of the students I can to try and dissuade them from doing so, but was grossly outnumbered and couldn't stay all day. In case some of you aren't aware, the majority of freshman-level History and PolySci classes (which everyone has to take) are in WH, so we were dealing, most likely, with herds of freshman who are generally impressionable and maybe, at times, less informed. These two agitators were completely overwhelming and hyper-aggressive, and I saw at least 8-10 people vote NO in the 5 minutes I was there without having a clue what they were doing or what the real issues were. Again, talked to as many as I could, but sentiment was grossly against me and some people just caught up in groupthink didn't care to hear the facts. Plus, I had a midterm review 10 minutes later across campus.

Anyway, I hope it's a tangent representation of a small fragment of the campus population, but I wanted to share some cases of what we're up against, and what the administration is essentially supporting with their beyond laissez-faire approach to an issue they clearly have deemed completely unimportant.

Keep encouraging whoever you can to vote YES -- but pick your targets wisely.

[Green Mean]

This worries me a little but I still cannot see the vote failing at this point. Dont get me wrong I think it could be very very close but I think we have enough momentum right now to atleast win. Maybe they were messing up the flyers because they see a strong support for the yes group.

[akriesman]

I wish the vote were a single day event. Having to go thru 5 days of this is just maddening. And, we are only 1/2 way thru the week.

Please, please let this vote pass......

[FanofUNT]

Report them -

[LAZER]

PM flyer ASAP!!!!!

[CaribbeanGreen]

Again, I don't want to put it out there that this is rampant behavior or indicative of the entire campus, just sharing one experience I had.

The signs issue is the most blatant violation to me. I just walked again by the sign on Oak (near the Corkscrew/North side of Cool Beans lot) and it's still there, big blue NO marked across it.

The incident in Wooten was obviously highly unorganized and brief. I wouldn't expect that to be a consistent problem, though it could have an affect on voting to a marginal extent. I'll report it, but doubt anything can be done unless it's witnessed "in the act."

Then, of course, the Daily takes another shot today via cartoon, despite having nothing else of note about the stadium.... the only interesting thing in there today was learning that the Pizza Inn Mascot is gonna jump over 50 pizzas on a motorcycle this Saturday.

Edited October 15, 2008 by CaribbeanGreen

[meangreendork]

Dude, you HAVE to report this. Seriously. It could change the course of what's going on if for some reason the vote fails.

[Quoner]

Then, of course, the Daily takes another shot today via cartoon, despite having nothing else of note about the stadium.... the only interesting thing in there today was learning that the Pizza Inn Mascot is gonna jump over 50 pizzas on a motorcycle this Saturday.

In light of recent events, this news is highly disturbing.

Any DJA members planning on attending this? We need to not lose sight of the real threat here.

[UNTflyer]

I have fired off an email to the Election Committee. If we lose, we'll file a protest on the grounds of illegal campaigning.

I would point out that asking those students to vote "YES" is also illegal campaigning. If you see this type of activity, tell the students (politely, but firmly) that this type of campaigning is not permitted near polling sites. Then email me and I will report it to the Election Board.

Names would be great, but if you have specific time and place we may be able to do something about those ballots.

Edited October 15, 2008 by UNTflyer

[NTerock]

i love you flyer

[UNT90]

I have fired off an email to the Election Committee. If we lose, we'll file a protest on the grounds of illegal campaigning.

I would point out that asking those students to vote "YES" is also illegal campaigning. If you see this type of activity, tell the students (politely, but firmly) that this type of campaigning is not permitted near polling sites. Then email me and I will report it to the Election Board.

Names would be great, but if you have specific time and place we may be able to do something about those ballots.

Flyer, 1st time I have ever heard you mutter these words. Please tell me you are not getting a bad feeling about this.

[greenminer]

Flyer, 1st time I have ever heard you mutter these words. Please tell me you are not getting a bad feeling about this.

It was purely hypothetical. and I mean hy-po-the-tic-al.

[woody82986]

It happens. I know it happens. I went through it last semester. Just report the activity and gather witnesses or photos if possible to take to the election board. I don't think it will have any bearing one way or the other though. The stuff they did was a campaign violation though.

[PerryG2480]

Cell phone camcorder. Enough said.

[FanofUNT]

use your cell phone and if it can record a video on your phone...send it in -

[UNTflyer]

Flyer, 1st time I have ever heard you mutter these words. Please tell me you are not getting a bad feeling about this.

I'm not.

[UNT90]

I'm not.

Thanks. Like a small child, I need positive reinforcement.

[KRAM1]

Reminds me of what is happening to McCain/Palin yard signs. It is really a shame when people do this sort of thing...maybe they are members of ACORN or want-a-be ACORN members. I'll bet I know who these folks are or would like to vote for in race for president!

SHAME ON THE FOLKS DOING THIS STUFF. Vote the way you want on the stadium issue...for whichever candidate in the presidential race you want, but do it with respect for the "other" side and in a manner you and everyone else can be proud of for the long run.

AMAZING STUFF, but given the political atmosphere these days, I am not at all surprised.

VOTE YES FOR THE STADIUM....GO MEAN GREEN!

[greenminer]

Or worse yet, Krammie, members of the Coalition for the Liberation of Itinerant Treedwellers.

The implications are disastrous.

[rcade]

Reminds me of what is happening to McCain/Palin yard signs.

Why do people always assume stuff like this is coming from one side only? Four years ago, Kerry/Edwards signs disappeared from my Republican North Florida neighborhood like clockwork. I figure both sides have their jerks. It's probably true in this student vote as well (though it's harder for anybody to deface a "vote no" sign when there aren't any of them).

[Quoner]

Why do people always assume stuff like this is coming from one side only? Four years ago, Kerry/Edwards signs disappeared from my Republican North Florida neighborhood like clockwork. I figure both sides have their jerks. It's probably true in this student vote as well (though it's harder for anybody to deface a "vote no" sign when there aren't any of them).

"People" don't assume - only certain people assume.

I wish we had the good, honest election practices this country has been famous for since 1800!

[Guest JohnDenver]

Went to Sam's Club lastnight... All the Obama books had been covered with some Christian hymn books. Then I noticed all the "McCain: The Myth of the Maverick" books were turned around and upside down. I turned them all back to the way they should be and uncovered the row of Obama books. It was crazy talk.

[Green Mean]

Politics is overrated.

[NT80]

I have fired off an email to the Election Committee. If we lose, we'll file a protest on the grounds of illegal campaigning.

I would point out that asking those students to vote "YES" is also illegal campaigning. If you see this type of activity, tell the students (politely, but firmly) that this type of campaigning is not permitted near polling sites. Then email me and I will report it to the Election Board.

Names would be great, but if you have specific time and place we may be able to do something about those ballots.

You can also protest the inability of some grad students to be able to vote with offcampus computers. My wife is eligible to vote but is still denied access on the SGA voting site. Is it a problem they are working on?

[greenminer]

Went to Sam's Club lastnight... All the Obama books had been covered with some Christian hymn books. Then I noticed all the "McCain: The Myth of the Maverick" books were turned around and upside down. I turned them all back to the way they should be and uncovered the row of Obama books. It was crazy talk.

Book drama at Sam's Club!

HORRORSIRENHORRORSIRENHORROR

This bookworm bullshight needs to stop. Somebody find a man in a blue vest.