Tuesday, October 21, 1997
Letters
Unfair attack by Bruin
This letter is in response to the misrepresentation of the
Cultural Affairs Commissioner, Mike Hamilton, in the Oct. 16 issue
of the Daily Bruin. The Cultural Affairs Office was established to
supplement the Eurocentric nature of the University. Through
Cultural Affairs, students groups have had the opportunity to
co-sponsor large cultural programs that received limited, if any,
funding prior to the existence of the Commission. Cultural Affairs
has brought a diversity of performances, art exhibits, poetry
readings, and community events like the Jazz and Reggae Festival
that enrich the educational experience of all UCLA students.
The importance of a Cultural Affairs Commission that prioritizes
bringing together students of varying backgrounds, like the
Commission Mike Hamilton promotes, should not be delegitamized
because of a perceived lack of experience, or whether or not a
performer wants to ride in a limo.
The Cultural Affairs Commission under Jaime Nack may not have
paid to bring performers in a limo. But then, her Commission never
filled Westwood Plaza with students of all ethnicities, brought
together for a hip hop event. Her Commission never prioritized the
funding of student group Culture Nights. In fact, her Commission
was charged in USAC meetings for cultural insensitivity for events
she wanted to hold on this campus. The supposed source of the Daily
Bruin article is a disgruntled past staff member who resented an
African American man heading up the Cultural Affairs Commission,
plain and simple.
In addition, the focus on the supposed "inexperience" and
"fledgling" commission are unjustified critiques. The purpose of
student government is to give students an opportunity to learn how
to organize and work for the betterment of our campus community.
Student government is a learning institution, that is why every
student has the right to run for office. Mike Hamilton has already
proven his commitment to this campus through organizing events that
we all enjoyed, like the African Student Union’s annual Hip Hop
Explosion, before he became the Cultural Affairs Commissioner. Mike
Hamilton is one of the first Cultural Affairs Commissioners who ran
as part of a slate with a true political ideology of student
empowerment, not just as a person who thought it might be "cool" to
do WorldFest. The attention should be paid to the positive changes
Cultural Affairs has already brought to our campus, not the
opinions of an old incumbent Commissioner who our campus decided to
replace.
Kendra Fox-Davis
Chief of staff
President’s office
Editor’s Note: The following are responses to the Oct. 17
Viewpoint ("Sexually Biased Ads?") feature on offensive
advertisement.
Vulgar marketing
While watching the UCLA/Oregon football game, I saw Del Taco’s
most recent commercial, featuring a woman with silicone-inflated
breasts running toward the camera. I have never been so disgusted
with an advertisement in my life! Does Del Taco actually believe
that the public will accept this vulgar marketing? What was their
rationale? Does this woman symbolize fast and cheap?
I was relieved to see this particular ad mentioned in Viewpoint
as sexually offensive. I am planning on writing to Del Taco to
express my disgust with their campaign, as I hope other viewers
will too. Until more women and men voice their disapproval of such
distasteful media, ads like Del taco’s will continue to be
aired.
Simone Coffman
Fourth-Year
Psychology
Last week while sitting on the couch watching the idiot box I
saw the Del Taco commercial in question. Immediately, for some
unknown reason, the commercial caught my eye and then held my
interest when it followed with the 39c taco montage. As far as I
know not many late teen/early 20s females wolf down a large order
of 39c tacos. If they did, I’m sure Del Taco would have come up
with a commercial showing a muscle-bound man in speedos gallantly
running towards the camera, sans silicon breast implants. As it is,
many late teens/early 20s females do not eat a large amount of 39c
tacos, so there is no reason why Del Taco should make such a
commercial, because it doesn’t appeal to their target audience.
As for the Bodies in Motion commercial, I took the ad as saying
that if a guy isn’t ready to get physically in shape he has no
business trying to date her. Admittedly they should have used a
better sport, but maybe they were trying to hit two birds with one
stone. It promotes getting into shape, as well as promoting safe
sex, but I don’t think they are saying the latter is the result of
the former. I’d have to agree that the Carl’s, Jr. commercial is a
bad one, but with that nasty sauce splashing everywhere, when are
they good?
John Beemer
UCLA student