Daily Bruin File Photo
Former Vice President Al Gore speaks at
Westwood Plaza seven days before the 2000 presidential
election.
By Robert Salonga
DAILY BRUIN STAFF
[email protected]
Though UCLA has a storied past of political exchange and
activism, students have always walked a fine line between
involvement and apathy.
For many graduates, the end of their stint at UCLA marks several
years of addressing social issues, while others find little or no
change in their feelings about politics since leaving high
school.
After settling into college life and witnessing multiple campus
protests on affirmative action, Eric Sanchez wanted to keep up with
issues on and off campus.
“It’s a place where you have the option to expand
your views,” said Sanchez, a fifth-year economics student.
“Over the years, I’ve realized the importance of being
involved.”
Those who looked to participate immediately in campus issues
often found themselves joining a student group, which had the
support system in place to let them take a political stance.
“There are so many points of view and events going on
around the world,” said Muslim Student Association member
Ameer Erfan, who is graduating with a degree in math and applied
sciences after four years as a Bruin.
“It’s in a student’s best interest to be
exposed to different points of view,” Erfan added.
“It’s almost an obligation to become
involved.”
Still, there were those who were not swayed by campus movements
and rallies, whose interest in campus politics did not necessarily
wane but also did not drastically increase.
This is sometimes the case with students whose college
experience did not begin at UCLA.
 Daily Bruin File Photo
George W. Bush speaks at a rally taking place
at the Burbank Airport Hilton while running for president in
2000.
Outgoing education graduate student Jon Hildebrand did not find
himself particularly drawn to the campus’ political scene,
nor did his level of interest change.
Drawing from his undergraduate experience at California State
University-Dominguez Hills, Hildebrand said for student activists
to be influential, they need a track record of effecting change in
the past.
Somewhat forgotten are the students who have just entered the
political fray on campus, like first-year political science and
business economics student Alex Wong.
 Daily Bruin File Photo
One thousand protesters from around the state gathered in
Westwood Plaza on March 14, 2001 to urge the UC Board of Regents to
repeal anti-affirmative action policies SP-1 and 2. The day ended
peacefully with no arrests.
Wong is a unique case because he hails from Hong Kong, and his
initial interest in politics upon arriving at UCLA are not of the
United States.
“I’m interested in the social issues of China,
Thailand and Southeast Asia,” Wong said.
On Sept. 11, the natural evolution of students’ political
involvement came to an abrupt halt when terrorists flew jumbo jets
into the World Trade Center and Pentagon.
“(Sept. 11) made me realize that international events had
an impact over here,” Sanchez said.
For Wong, the attacks nearly meant the difference between him
attending UCLA and staying back in Hong Kong.
“I came to the United States three weeks before Sept.
11,” Wong said. “I was lucky; I could have been
rejected by customs otherwise.”
Erfan added that “now more than ever,” it’s
important to get involved in international issues even at a
far-removed locale like UCLA.
“Before, we could claim that we were geographically
isolated,” he said. “Now we have no excuse.”