"Really Really Free Market" and State News Response by Allison Voglesong (YDS Co-Coordinator)

Help us promote the Really Really Free Market which is a block north of campus across from Gumby's in a park. Bring a chair and share at this fun skill-oriented "free market" where everything is free. Arrange through each other to bring whatever you want to give away for free. Or, just come take a study break and dig through some neat free stuff, learn (or share) how to do something useful (fix a bike/play a game) and enjoy the sounds of local music at its best. Leftover market items are (tentatively) going to VOA, feel free to indicate to us if you can help transport donations (depending on the nature of donations there is a possible bike brigade where small loads are taken by bike to donation sites. However, feel free to let us know if you've got a car you're willing to donate, then large items have a way of being donated.)

Got a good idea for this Really Really Free Market? Join the facebook group and let us know you plan to make it happen. There are no official organizers, so come join the horizontal effort to make cool stuff happen.

Saturday, April 25th
Valley Court Park, East Lansing
10 am -- 3 pm

Monday, April 20th, 2009
Students Protest In-State Tuition Increases
Response by Allison Voglesong

"Other members, such as international relations junior Allison Voglesong, said more students should be involved. “This is what being active is. If you want people to show up, throw a kegger — that is what students respond to,” Voglesong said." -The State News, April 20, 2009

Here's the VIDEO, which is a little better to clarify:



THE QUOTE IN THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE is a startling misrepresentation of my statement, particularly considering that the original comment I made regarding "keggers" was made in jest. The reporter asked me to repeat the point I had made to another protester that was not put into context in the article. More frustrating is that the young lady asked me to repeat myself and I made it clear to her that I was not suggesting our strategy to gain student interest in protesting the tuition increase was to throw keggers to get names on petitions.

Quite simply I am disappointed that more students show more interest in assemblies like "Cedarfest" and less interest in assembling to confront real problems that directly affect their ability to go to college. What was the point of Cedarfest that got so many people involved? Observing the frequency of "keggers" and their popularity, I find it discouraging that tuition is treated with such apathy here at MSU. Sadly, the State News Reporter, Ursula, did not choose to include that point when noting my comment about the appeal of "keggers" to large numbers of students. My bottom line is that it's too bad more students don't care and/or aren't vocal about this tuition issue. How do we get more students interested (at the very least) in what is going on with their school and their investment in their education? I think that point is well represented by my comments towards the end of the video.

If there are any responses, first answer the underlying question I'm trying to address. What is it that students respond to best or most often when assembling together? I'd love to know how to get more students excited about making a difference to encourage university transparency and accountability. It's too bad the tuition issue in itself isn't exciting enough.

Allison Voglesong

James Madison 2010
Major International Relations
Political Economy Specialization
Co-Coordinator, MSU Young Democratic Socialists
Member, Roosevelt Institution