A side from opposable thumbs, use of tools and being a bipedal species, being morally conscious of our actions is what separates most humans from most animals.
We have the ability to make choices ”” choices that, quite often, don’t have the prettiest of outcomes. But it’s those who learn from their mistakes, those who edit and correct, that differentiate the honorable from the fools.
Around 5 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 9, 2011, Associated Students, Inc. President Pedro Ramirez made a choice to answer his phone, drive a vehicle registered to one Martin Ramirez and give a ride home to Luis Hernandez, a friend who had been drinking.
According to the Fresno Police report, Ramirez was driving at a speed unsafe for conditions and collided into a brick fixture and the tree it surrounded. Subsequently, he was taken to Community Regional Medical Center via ambulance. Ramirez was treated and released.
He was not, however, able to produce a valid California drivers license, contrary to what Ramirez’s lawyer told The Fresno Bee.
But what do you think?
We are all so quick to point the finger that we often forget to look in the mirror.
Maybe Ramirez should not have ran for office. But he did. And yeah, maybe he should have been more open about his immigration status.
But he was not. But more importantly, maybe if more than 1,684 students out of 20,932 voted for ASI president in the 2010 election then a candidate more “American” could have more adequately represented the student body. But we didn’t.
At 4 p.m. today in room 312-314 of the University Student Union, a vote will be cast by the ASI senate to allow the Personnel Committee to conduct a formal review of its president and Vice President of Finance Cesar Sanchez.
The last time the majority of the senate sought a formal review from the Personnel Committee in 2008, ASI President Mackee Mason and Vice President Sandra Flores resigned.
What will become of Ramirez?
Will his deception by omission and violations of the law force him to resign? Will ASI executive officers choose to impeach him? Will ASI Executive Vice President Selena Farnesi be the new student body president? Which senators wrote anonymous letters requesting a review of the executive officer? Who stands to personally benefit from his removal?
Sounds like the tribe has already spoken. Maybe we are not that different from animals after all.
Anonymous • Jan 29, 2011 at 10:16 pm
I do not understand how the author’s conclusion follows from the introduction and the rest of the article. The author starts by claiming that humans are distinct from animals because of their ability to make conscious moral choices and learn from the outcomes. After describing in detail how Ramirez has broken the law and how his position as ASI president in in peril, the author claims that the ASI council is more like animals (non-moral, unable to learn from choices). So is the author claiming that those who are seeking to remove Ramirez (those described in the article) have no learned from their mistakes? It is not clear at all!
Philosotroll • Feb 1, 2011 at 12:58 am
You were a little more generous in your reading than I was. The mixed metaphor of the last sentence (some combination of Charlie Parsons and Charles Darwin) is pretty bizarre. Are they going to hold a vote removing Pedro or devour him like wild animals? From some of the Collegians coverage, I suspect the latter is more likely, but I’m going to withhold judgment.
cali_girl • Jan 26, 2011 at 4:49 pm
Personally, I believe Selena Farnesi would make an excellent choice for ASI president.