Dispelling apathy

 Students were lined up in the scorching sun to register to vote at Associated Students Inc. Raise Your Voice non-partisan campaign on Wednesday, which has registered 1,137 students since Sept. 27.

The running total doesn't include those who took registration forms home, according to Andrew Kress, ASI secretary for system-wide affairs.

With the registration deadline around the corner, Oct. 20, ASI President Erin Swetland urged students to vote to prove that, "college students are not apathetic."

Cal State Long Beach President F. King Alexander said, "Students have been historically more apathetic than they need to be."

Alexander said it takes two aspects to sway an election, money and votes, and since students don't have a lot of money, "nothing is more important than their vote."

Representatives from both the McCain and Obama campaigns presented brief incentives for students with each campaign.

Charla Shelton, an Obama campaign regional field organizer for the greater Long Beach area and a retired Stanford University professor said, "[Obama] is the only global leader we have to choose from."

She listed several issues she considers Obama as the better leader, such as the Iraq War and the American image.

"Obama will change the perception of America around the world," Shelton said.

The student representative for the Obama campaign was unavailable to speak, according to Shelton.

Some audience members, surrounding the information table set up by the Obama campaign agreed with Shelton.

"I think he'll be better in supporting more of his policies," said Cesar Cabrera, a junior studio art major. "I think he is capable of change."

The McCain campaign representatives did not have a table set up for students, and according to Thomas Reeves, chairman for the Long Beach McCain campaign and a Long Beach city prosecutor, they were not notified about the event until last week.

Alex Lohman, ASI assistant secretary for system-wide affairs and a sophomore political science major said, however, she first contacted both sides about a month ago, and has been in direct contact with Reeves for the last two weeks. She said he was undecided in coming to CSULB until last week. Reeves is a CSULB political science alumnus. Lohman said, even as a CSULB alumnus, "I think he was a little bit more intimidated" since this is a more liberal campus.

Reeves also said this was not the reason, but that, "The people I have available for that are all working because we don't have a lot of retired volunteers."

During the McCain campaign presentation Reeves said, "I know this whole campaign has been about the word change."

Reeves noted McCain's 22-year service in the U.S. Senate, and said a president can't be someone who is learning as they go, "It's about McCain and his experience … he has already learned how to communicate," Reeves said.

Jason Aula, president of the Conservative Student Union and a senior business finance major, also spoke on McCain's behalf.

"Go check the facts. Check who Obama is affiliating himself with," Aula said.

After saying Obama associated himself with terrorists, several members in the crowd yelled out in defense of Obama, "You check the facts," and "Tell the truth." Several people began booing at Aula.

Later Aula said he was bothered when McCain's representatives showed up in suits, "because it's so cliché."

His main consternation with Obama's platform is his policy on the economy. "It's not good because business is globalizing. I know CEOs make a ridiculous amount, but that doesn't have to do with taxes," Aula said.

He suggested going to a bipartisan website and "check the facts."

The Conservative Student Union has been setting up voter registration tables by the Psychology Building. According to Aula, they have registered more than 200 students.

Representatives for Propositions 4, 7 and 8 also gave brief speeches.

Students can find information on all of the propositions at http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/