Response Op-Ed: Wrong to imply endorsement

By Sadie Thorman

Re Nick Golina’s article of Oct. 13, 2016, “Danger to Title IX: Enough is Enough – Time for UA College Republicans to withdraw support for Trump”

Our College Republican chapter understands that this election is controversial. Passion for politics is important, regardless of ideology. Our members are free to have their own opinions on the Trump campaign and Donald Trump as a person. The chapter has not made, nor will make, an endorsement of any 2016 presidential candidate. To suggest our club has endorsed a candidate is misguided.

College Republicans is first and foremost a student organization, one in which we hope to teach the value and accessibility of political activism and diversity of opinion. We expect the same from our Democratic counterparts, whom we respect, though we may disagree on policy. Mr. Golina fails to mention he is involved in the [UA] College Democrats [organization] – purveying his propaganda as a member of the “Aspiring Educators Program,” rather than a partisan. This is disingenuous. He also fails to disclose that the “Aspiring Educators Program” is an offshoot of the National Education Association – an interest group and union that has never backed a Republican for president.  

Mr. Golina’s premise that Donald Trump would end the U.S. Department of Education and therefore supports sexual assault on campus distorts legitimate questions regarding federal support of education and devalues honest dialogue about the problems of sexual assault on campus. His notion that “The protection of our women is key to ensuring the social harmony,” smacks of a paternalistic misogyny easily deconstructed by a Gender Studies 101 student.

We call upon Mr. Golina to retract his article and his false claims.

This article was written by Sadie Thorman, president of the UA College Republicans, on behalf of that organization.