On-campus associations prepare for Palin appearance

Several groups on campus plan to protest at Sarah Palin's upcoming GOP fundraiser and rally appearances in Orange County.

"Our goal is to bring awareness to women about Sarah Palin," said Yvonne Moore, a coordinator of the protest.  "Our main opposition to her stems from her stance on feminist health care, abstinence-only programs and abortion. Anybody who cares about women should come to the protest." 

According to the O.C. Register, Palin is scheduled to be featured at a GOP fundraiser on Oct. 4, with a rally to follow on Oct. 5. Palin's fundraiser has changed locations twice due to overwhelming demand for tickets and lack of space. The dates and locations for the fundraiser and event may still change.         

Student groups from Cal State Long Beach such as the Women's Studies Student Association(WSSA), the Feminist Organization Reclaiming Consciousness and Equality and the La Raza Student Association(LRSA) plan to protest the event. They're inviting like-minded voters to join them and bring signs, banners, flags, kazoos and drums.

"Even Jesus will be there," said women's studies major Erin Hale, regarding her friend's Messiah costume to protest Sarah Palin's recent statement that the war in Iraq "is in God's hands."  Hale, also an executive board member of WSSA, eagerly anticipates the protest. 

Marina Wood, a senior women's studies major and executive board member for WSSA, said Palin is not only a danger to women's rights, but also to animal rights and foreign policy. Wood touched on the delicate issue she called "women-vote-women," and said the Republican Party is trying to appease women by parading as 'progressive.'

"We don't vote with our vaginas," Erin Hale said.

Wood said the issue of Sarah Palin cuts across political party lines for women because many are offended by the Republican Party's carefully cultivated decision to choose a largely unknown female. 

"There were so many more qualified, well-known Republican women," she continued, "like Senator Elizabeth Dole or Condoleezza Rice. It's like [they] had this wipe-board criteria that the V.P. had to fit -- like outdoorsmanship."

"I'm nervous to think that if [Sen. McCain] was to pass away she would take over," said CSULB undergrad Megan Brushey, "She doesn't seem ready to take over because of her ignorant comments."

A counter-protest is also in the works.  Jason Aula, president of the CSULB Conservative Student Union (CSU) and leader of Youth for McCain on campus, is organizing a counter-event to coincide with the Palin protest.

Aula also wants to organize a Barack Obama protest following the Palin protests. He said the protest would point out some of the deficiencies of the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Joe Biden.

"Sarah Palin is the greatest example of what a conservative Republican should be that we have this election year," Aula said, "the closest we've had resembling Ronald Reagan's policies. I believe she will get us into the White House -- I'm pretty confident."

Aula said there is no difference between Sarah Palin and Hilary Clinton, except political beliefs. 

"I think they're just mad that the Republican Party got a female on the ticket before the Democrats," he said. "It sounds like they're just whining -- don't get me wrong, I'd be whining too if Hilary got on the ticket."

There are also women on campus who do not object to McCain's running mate.

"I don't take offense at all to Palin's camp," said CSULB alum Monica Ly, "I think McCain was smart to pull the 'woman card' in this election. Obama can't have all the attention."