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UC Berkeley’s “Diversity Bake Sale” Causes a Stir on Campus

UC Berkeley’s “Diversity Bake Sale” Causes a Stir on Campus
9/26/2011
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Suada Kolovic

For most, the notion of a bake sale conjures up memories of Girl Scouts selling delectable Thin Mints and tasty Samoas, all the while smiling angelically and thanking patrons for their contribution for new uniforms, camping trips or what have you. For a Republican group at the University of California Berkeley, their motives are much different: According to reports, the campus Republicans announced plans to host a satirical bake sale where they plan on selling racially price-adjusted pastries on campus in protest against an Affirmative Action-like bill.

As if the University of California system needs yet another racially inspired incident, (this year alone, campuses have dealt with a series of racial and anti-Semitic incidents) the Berkeley College Republican (BCR) group announced their “Increase Diversity Bake Sale” on Facebook where the pricing structure is as follows: $2 per pastry for white men, $1.50 for Asian men, $1 for Latino men, $0.75 for black men, $.25 for Native Americans and $.25 off for all women. The bake sale is meant to draw attention to pending legislation that would allow California universities to consider race, gender, ethnicity and national origin during the admissions process. "We agree that the event is inherently racist, but that is the point," BCR President Shawn Lewis wrote in response to upheaval over the bake sale. "It is no more racist than giving an individual an advantage in college admissions based solely on their race (or) gender."

The sale has left many outraged. More than 200 students have responded to the event – most opposed and some violently so. What do you think of the BCR’s bake sale? Should the university step in and shut down an event that could possibly turn violent? Let us know what you think.

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