Outrage erupts at anti-affirmative action rally

Orange and Blue Observer Editor, Leo Buchignani, tapes American flags to a closet Sept. 21, for "Conservative Coming Out Day." Students were supposed to be able to walk out of the closet to declare their conservative identity, Buchignani said. Regina Martinez

Sounds of anger rang in the air and police were called to the scene as a crowd of protesters rushed Leo Buchignani's table as he made remarks about affirmative action Thursday afternoon.

"Affirmative action takes the spot away from a well-qualified white man and gives his spot away to an unqualified African American," Buchignani, editor of the Orange and Blue Observer, said to the crowd.

Affirmative action was created nearly 40 years ago to ensure the equal access to higher education for minorities. Lately, some universities have been challenging this law, but presently affirmative action is still used in the state of Illinois.

Dressed in a white t-shirt, with a black leather jacket and brown cargo pants with black shoes, Buchignani, senior in Communications, said this rally was a way to protest the University and its hypocrisies.

He said about two weeks ago, his group planned to raffle off two Derringer guns and to give away affirmative action to special groups. He said he told the University of this rally in advance, but they denied him at the last minute.

"We are just signing up more people for the Derringer raffle and challenging affirmative action because we think that race-based discrimination is racist," Buchignani said. He announced to the crowd Martin Luther King Jr. would not have agreed with affirmative action because it discriminates based on race. This remark caused the crowd to surround the table, and people began to become confrontational.

"I thought he was going to get his lights punched out," Efren Mckissic, sophomore in LAS, said. Mckissic said he was outraged from what he was hearing.

"I think he really don't understand what affirmative action is. How can families save up money when they are working three jobs to survive?" Mckissic said. Buchignani said there has been a break down in black and Latino families, so this is the reason why they are so far behind socially. He also said the government should not have to pay for these groups' mistakes.

"Other American societies such as Black America are underperforming, and this is directly connected to what is glorified in hip-hop culture and the breakdown of the black family," Buchignani said.

He said special programs should be in place for people who are in poverty and who have special needs, but no law should be strictly based on race.

Jennifer Britton, senior in LAS, said Buchignani lacks full knowledge of affirmative action.

"It is well-recognized that most white women are the supreme benefactors of affirmative action," Britton said.

She said affirmative action was created to level the playing field for all who chose to go to college.

"At first, his comments made me upset because he was offending people, but once I got closer to see what he was talking about, he knows nothing, so I was no longer offended," Britton said.

Kris Forde, however, said he was outraged at the University because they allowed this to occur.

"This is discrimination, and it is like saying they can advocate a KKK group," Forde, junior in LAS, said.

Buchignani said overall he was pleased with the response.

"We are going to keep criticizing the University for their hypocrisy for saying discrimination is wrong and at the same time doing it. They either stop discriminating, or let us discriminate," Buchignani said.