Article Misrepresents Triton Athletes Council

Dear Editor,

After realizing the April Fool’s Day edition of the Guardian had long since passed, it finally dawned on me that Hadley Mendoza’s April 19 column wasn’t a joke. But in reality, it was a joke. As a student who was at the Triton Athletes Council’s presidential debate and a mere five feet from the drunk and taunting Junaid Fatehi, her article was far from “”honest.”” Fatehi’s actions at the debate are highly understated in the article while Dan Noel’s are exaggerated.

The debate is organized so that a student group, one of the largest and most active on campus, can be better informed about the presidential candidates. Triton Athletes Council has facilitated a presidential debate for a few years and feels it has helped athletes decide whom to endorse. This year, however, only three candidates showed us the respect of showing up prepared and sober. We expect that as presidential candidates participating in a debate, each would have respect for the audience as well as their fellow candidates. Fatehi showed up drunk, and called everyone in attendance “”assholes”” who owe him free beer. This is not respectful by anyone’s standards.

At the appropriated time for audience questions when Fatehi taunted everyone to “”man up”” and ask him a question, Noel asked him, in a fair manner, what we all wanted to know but couldn’t properly express. Why should the money allotted to athletics as voted by students go specifically to his personal alcoholism? At least the 3 percent of students who some of the money goes to could drive themselves home that night.

After the debate ended, all nonathletes were asked to leave so we could discuss the debate and make an endorsement decision. Instead of politely leaving, Fatehi remained seated and continued to curse athletes and the referendum. Noel spoke to Fatehi in a low voice and told him to leave. It didn’t stop Fatehi, for once again, he began to yell and swear as he finally headed for the door. Noel’s actions at the end of the debate “”buffered hostility and acted as a calming intermediary,”” which is exactly what Mendoza said a moderator should do. Instead, she stereotypes athletes as mindless bullies driven by testosterone out to crush anything opposing them. But as Noel put it himself, “”I am the nerdy kid!””

Mendoza’s article also claimed that the council’s reaction to Fatehi was because of ideological differences. I think it’s important to note that President-elect Marco Murillo openly said he did not vote to pass to the referendum, but no one “”ignored”” him or doubted his potential to be A.S. president. There were ideological differences, but also a mutual respect.

Mendoza’s article is so embedded with falsities and stereotypes it is actually funny. We at TAC are proud to have Noel as our leader. His calm, collected moderating at the debate should be applauded given the outrageous actions of Fatehi.

­- Kathy Sepulveda

John Muir College Senior and TAC Promotions Representative