2008 Woodie Awards
A brush with the law
Brandon Goucher
Issue date: 10/1/04 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
Last week, for those of you who have not noticed, some students were protesting against the Associated Student Body Government. They are protesting because they want answers and changes from the ASBG.
One of the students involved with the protests is Max Arrechea, who ran for ASBG president last semester and won. However, the former members of the ASBG voted to disqualify Arrechea and elect Carmen Avitia president, even though the students elected Arrechea. So now Arrechea and his friends are going to be protesting all semester and demanding answers from the ASBG about where all of their funds are coming from and how they are being spent.
Last Wednesday I happened to notice Lindsey Noriega, secretary of the ASBG, walking and watching the protesters. I walked up to her and asked her what she thought of the protest.
"You guys don't know what you're talking about and I can show you our reports on paper," she said.
I continued to walk with her and ask questions. I told her to tell President Avitia to get her facts straight about the Brown Act. Apparently, last week when Avitia was being interviewed by another reporter from the Impact, she told her that I am supposed to destroy all my video tapes of the ASBG meetings within 30 days because of the Brown Act. She is wrong.
According to the Brown Act, any person attending an open and public meeting of a legislative body of a local agency shall have the right to record the proceedings with an audio or video tape. This is where Avitia got lost. Any tape or film recorded of an open and public meeting made at the direction of the local agency may be erased or destroyed within 30 days after the taping or recording. I just wanted to tell Lindsey that Carmen is wrong, since Lindsey is secretary of the ASBG.
The following day I got a phone call at my job from the Delta Police Department. Apparently, Noriega called the Delta Police because she did not like that I was asking her questions (implying that I was harassing her). She was also upset with the demonstrators. I told the officer on the phone that I was just trying to ask questions and I was trying to tell her about the Brown Act. Arrechea also received a call from the Delta Police.
What is the reason for all of this? Why does the ASBG and David Ferrell suddenly have concern about me (representing the Impact) videotaping their meetings? What do they have to hide? I just report the facts. I am not for or against Max Arrechea. But if you ask me, a very negative message was sent to the student body.
What is the point of holding an election when the ASBG already has decided who they want to be on the next student body government? What is the point of the students taking the time to vote when their vote clearly does not count? It is my mission as a student at Delta College to make sure that the votes of the student body count, regardless of who is elected.
This does not make me Michael Moore; I have no desire to scrounge up dirt from peoples' past or follow them around relentlessly with a video camera.
One of the students involved with the protests is Max Arrechea, who ran for ASBG president last semester and won. However, the former members of the ASBG voted to disqualify Arrechea and elect Carmen Avitia president, even though the students elected Arrechea. So now Arrechea and his friends are going to be protesting all semester and demanding answers from the ASBG about where all of their funds are coming from and how they are being spent.
Last Wednesday I happened to notice Lindsey Noriega, secretary of the ASBG, walking and watching the protesters. I walked up to her and asked her what she thought of the protest.
"You guys don't know what you're talking about and I can show you our reports on paper," she said.
I continued to walk with her and ask questions. I told her to tell President Avitia to get her facts straight about the Brown Act. Apparently, last week when Avitia was being interviewed by another reporter from the Impact, she told her that I am supposed to destroy all my video tapes of the ASBG meetings within 30 days because of the Brown Act. She is wrong.
According to the Brown Act, any person attending an open and public meeting of a legislative body of a local agency shall have the right to record the proceedings with an audio or video tape. This is where Avitia got lost. Any tape or film recorded of an open and public meeting made at the direction of the local agency may be erased or destroyed within 30 days after the taping or recording. I just wanted to tell Lindsey that Carmen is wrong, since Lindsey is secretary of the ASBG.
The following day I got a phone call at my job from the Delta Police Department. Apparently, Noriega called the Delta Police because she did not like that I was asking her questions (implying that I was harassing her). She was also upset with the demonstrators. I told the officer on the phone that I was just trying to ask questions and I was trying to tell her about the Brown Act. Arrechea also received a call from the Delta Police.
What is the reason for all of this? Why does the ASBG and David Ferrell suddenly have concern about me (representing the Impact) videotaping their meetings? What do they have to hide? I just report the facts. I am not for or against Max Arrechea. But if you ask me, a very negative message was sent to the student body.
What is the point of holding an election when the ASBG already has decided who they want to be on the next student body government? What is the point of the students taking the time to vote when their vote clearly does not count? It is my mission as a student at Delta College to make sure that the votes of the student body count, regardless of who is elected.
This does not make me Michael Moore; I have no desire to scrounge up dirt from peoples' past or follow them around relentlessly with a video camera.