Published 2006-02-11T00:00:00Z”/>
Brea Jones
Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer came to Chico State Thursday to speak, but students waited longer than they listened.
Fifty minutes after her expected 11-a.m. arrival, Boxer took the makeshift stage in the Bell Memorial Union Auditorium and thanked the audience for voting her into office.
She said the cost of a college education should be tax deductible, interest rates for student loans should be lowered and there should be programs in place so those loans can be forgiven if students do community service.
Along with college, she said there is trouble with Iraq, health care, the deficit, Social Security and Medicare.
“Every once in a while in a nation’s history, things become such a mess that you need new leadership,” Boxer said, “and I think it’s time that we get John Kerry.”
For more information on Boxer’s speech, visit www.orion-online.net.
The event was originally scheduled for BMU 210, which holds 150 people. University Police Officer Eric Partika said at least 300 people came.
Event planner Amy Brown of the Student Democratic Club said the sponsoring club relied on word of mouth to get people to come see Boxer speak.
“It’s amazing what can happen when people start talkin’,” Brown said.
Senior Jessica Williamson, who held a Boxer campaign sign, said she found out about the speech through the Community Legal Information Center.
“I’m here to see what she has to say,” Williamson said.
Other students went to object.
About 15 members of the College Republicans club wore blue T-shirts that read, “This is what a conservative looks like.”
First-year student Josh Steele said he supports President George W. Bush and conservative ideals.
“I came in protest,” Steele said, “just to let her know there are some people that don’t support her.”
Sean Lear, a first-year student who wore a 3-inch “College Republicans Make a Difference” sticker, said he was trying to bring in signs for Boxer’s opponent, Bill Jones, but they weren’t allowed.
“It makes sense because (Democrats) paid for the facility and they have the right to do that,” he said. “But we should be able to say what we want and protest.”
After the seven-minute speech, Boxer threw campaign T-shirts into the audience.
Sophomore Taylor Hess caught a T-shirt but was disappointed by the short speech and long wait.
Hess saw Boxer in San Diego five years ago, and she said she thought Thursday’s speech was less professional.
“There were no chairs, and half the people were over the age of 60,” she said. “They needed chairs.”
Hearing Boxer speak about education was reassuring, Hess said, but many of her statements seemed unattainable.
“Everything was to the extreme,” she said. “Boxer said everyone was going to have affordable health care, and that’s not the reality of it.”
Brea Jones can be reached at
<a href= “mailto:[email protected]”>[email protected]</a>