Reading the most recent coverage of Student Assembly by Kate Sanders and Sofia Rubinson, I had a vivid vision of pigs rolling around in pits of muck. What a mess! I think within this dumpster fire there’s an important lesson for Cornellians: We need to actually vote in these student elections. Otherwise, we’ll end up with bumbling misogynists keen on returning to the middle ages.
For some light background, the Student Assembly’s Vice President of Finance and former Interfraternity Council President, Rocco DeLorenzo, derailed his former friend, Pedro Da Silveira’s presidency, by introducing the motion to remove him after a Title IX allegation. Previously, DeLorenzo, who takes issue with women accessing emergency contraception and rape kits, had allegedly been confided in by Da Silveira regarding this Title IX charge. When controversy over Da Silveira’s Title IX charge prompted his removal as Student Assembly president moments after being elected, presidential runner-up Patrick Kuehl, friends with DeLorenzo and Clyde Lederman ‘26 (another key conspirator and on the executive board of Cornell Democrats), replaced him.
DeLorenzo’s goal was to have a Greek life “machine,” which would conveniently represent the interests of fraternities and the men in them.
And so here we are. In a world of free will, I understand that people will have different ideas of how much autonomy and rights women should have. They will have their different reasons and justifications. Although I think there’s only one reason why someone would be afraid of rape kits. Fraternities aren’t losing their bad reputations anytime soon, given how skittish DeLorenzo was about having them around.
So sadly, because certain people exist who are so obsessed with women, and controlling them, normal people need to get out and vote. This is because within the fraternities, regardless of how the individuals feel about the actual issues at hand, the majority are going to vote for someone who represents the interests of their frats. They want their Greek life machine, but we want human rights.
It’s especially troubling that our generation is still generating this ideological crap. When I think of men trying to take away emergency contraception, I think of scaly old men in Congress. It’s so disturbing to think that men in our generation are still trying so hard to disenfranchise women. You’re 21, not 85. The fact that these young men not only hold these extremely antiquated beliefs but are jostling for power so eagerly that they’re turning to corruption is remarkable. There have been no leaked messages of women in the Student Assembly scheming to have urinals removed or condoms banned en-masse. It would be considered ludicrous.
Furthermore, from a scheming standpoint, I know politicians everywhere are notorious for corruption, but being so young, and so devious, is rather remarkable. Based on the evidence, these young men devoted an incredible amount of work behind the scenes to ensure their grip on power. Emperor Palpatine would be very proud.
I know the Student Assembly is merely a student government, but they have significant control over funding that has a direct impact on students’ lives. Furthermore, it’s their job to listen and respect all students at Cornell, regardless of gender, and allocate funds accordingly and fairly. Having a bunch of men who disrespect and strive to disenfranchise women in charge is not something most Cornell students, or at least most Cornell women, find ideal.
I believe it’s fair to say that the vast majority of Cornellians outside of DeLorenzo’s fraternal echo chamber don’t agree with these bums, or want to be represented by them anymore.
As members of a democracy, we don’t just have to complain about this degenerate behavior. We can end this nonsense in the polls.
So regarding the next round of elections, there are almost 16,000 undergraduate students at Cornell. We just need to pick someone somewhat normal. The bar is not on the floor anymore. It is in hell, tickling Satan’s ball sack. I think voters can raise the bar and elect, at the barest minimum, slightly better representatives and leaders than our current ones, ones who at least believe in gender equality. They don’t need to be superhuman — they just need to be decent.
Aurora Weirens is a third year student in the College of Arts & Sciences. Her fortnightly column The Northern Light illuminates student life. She can be reached at [email protected].
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