We elect the politicians we think we deserve.
Judging from our batch of Student Government senators, we evidently don’t deserve much.
Louisiana politics is a spectacle of controversy and intrigue. Prominent public officials throughout the state’s history are known for their fiery temperaments, formidable speaking abilities and infamous nepotism.
Regardless of its many illegalities, Louisiana government is always the Kardashian family of state bureaucracy — it’s a guilty pleasure you can’t look away from.
This is one Louisiana tradition LSU doesn’t partake in.
LSU’s SG is basically the 15th season of “American Idol” — dull, repetitive and lacks passion from its participants. There are even random black representatives who, like American Idol’s Randy Jackson, show up to meet the diversity quota.
We all know it’s happening, but we’re not quite sure what the results will be, and we don’t care.
SG, in reality, is vastly different from the passionate social media campaigns that come before spring elections. I’ve never seen so many people #inspired until the spring semester of my freshman year.
But where does the inspiration go for the students we elect?
If anyone’s excited about being in SG, they left their enthusiasm at the Capital Chamber’s door.
A senate meeting is what I envision a bingo tournament at a retirement home to be like. Someone having a heart attack would be the most genuine event all night.
It’s almost like some SG members stopped taking their positions seriously, which is ironic because judging from the average senate member’s email signature, they want you to think they take their position earnestly.
We should give SG members the respect they think they — and their email signatures — deserve. They are elected to represent us, after all.
Though if SG members want respect like real elected officials, they should be held to the same standards we hold state and federal lawmakers.
First, they need to work on their public speaking. The one senate meeting I’ve attended was about as flaccid as Jeb Bush during his first Republican presidential debate.
How is someone elected to a position where speaking and debating are vital when he or she possesses neither skills? I’ve heard broken-English spoken more confidently than the hogwash some of the senators read from their podium.
As someone who’s honed his public speaking skills for most of his post-pubescent life, I find this terribly insulting.
Also, SG members should be held to the same moral expectations as elected officials. I know it’s college and we all love to get #whitegirlwasted, but as representatives of our student body, SG members should think twice before partaking in publicly documented drunken shenanigans.
SG members should possess and demonstrate knowledge about the issues they’re writing legislation, voting and speaking for. SG members should be held accountable if their knowledge on those issues is subpar.
For example, Sen. Joanie Lyons responding with, “I’m not really sure what the difference is,” when asked about the difference between two clickers used at LSU, is awkward. When she’s the author of the recently passed legislation pertaining to the clickers, it’s unacceptable.
When SG leaders were approached for comment, they declined until after publication.
It’s insulting to constituents when their representatives are clueless about topics they’re trying to push.
Shouldn’t the student body hold its elected officials to real world standards?
I encourage SG members who want to address how to fix these issues to tweet at me with suggestions.
I have faith we can see student government worthy of representing its students.
John Gavin Harp is a 20-year-old mass communication junior from St. Francisville, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @SirJohnGavin.