It has come down to this. A bake sale is the new way to make a political statement. Not a strike or a protest, but a bake sale.
The credit for this latest innovation goes to the group of students at UC Berkeley who decided a bake sale would be the best way to bring attention to the debate on Affirmative Action.
Baked goods were sold to white male students for $2.00, $1.50 for Asians, $1.00 for Latinos, 75 cents for African Americans, and 25 cents for Native Americans. The prices for female students were discounted 25 cents in each of the above cases.
If the goal is to merely bring attention to the issue, then perhaps it has worked. With the help of the media which has covered the bake sale from all angles and thanks to almost eight thousand views on YouTube, the bake sale has definitely attracted attention.
However, it’s hard to believe a bake sale is what it takes to change the course of Affirmative Action. And in a country where people have marched hundreds of miles just to have their voice heard, it’s odd that anyone would use bakery as a way to fight for equal rights.
From one of the most prestigious universities in the nation, it’s safe to expect a student body with a sufficient knowledge of history. It’s hard to believe the students at UC Berkeley would completely disregard the fact that so many people put their lives on the line in hopes of attaining equality. It wasn’t a bake sale which brought them this freedom they fought so hard for. But if it takes a bake sale to take away the right many minorities enjoy today, what does it say about this nation?
Are the students of UC Berkeley oblivious to the fact that so many immigrants went through so much just to own a small piece of land in this country? Have they never heard of the sit ins, or Emmit Till, or the four little girls that were bombed in a church?
Nothing justifies these senseless tragedies; especially not a bake sale. The bake sale only resurrects an issue that shouldn’t be an issue at all. It diminishes a policy set to create diversity and equality in universities. It diminishes a policy set to make up for over 400 years of atrocity.
And yes, we have come a long ways in this country, but we have certainly not come all the way. Discrimination is not blatant, but it still hovers above us. To make matters worse, minorities don’t have nearly as much resources as whites. Many of them grow up in a world where survival is the goal and mediocrity is the norm. Through Affirmative Action, they have at least a fighting chance.
How do the students of UC Berkley fight for their right by baking cupcakes, while so many underprivileged kids fight with their life?
Maybe what this bake sale is really telling us is that we are making a mockery of our freedom in this country. Take a look at the world today and maybe you will understand what I mean. Last I checked, Libyans didn’t bake cupcakes to take down Gadhafi. Not that I’m suggesting starting a riot, but we could do a whole lot better than baking cookies.
Throughout history people have done very creative things in the midst of fighting for freedom. We have seen the best paintings, songs, and writings come from those who needed their voice heard. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think this pales in comparison.
To the University of Berkley, this bake sale only brings negative attention, but hopefully it’s not a reflection of the overall student body. It is after all a school with a 4.19 median grade point for admitted freshmen and an average SAT Composite score of 2031 for admitted freshmen. You just wouldn’t know it judging by the bake sale.