A recap on Chuck DeVore speaking at UCSD

Alec Weisman, Editor-in-Chief

Last night, congressional candidate Chuck DeVore spoke to the College Republicans at UCSD. He spoke very candidly not only about his reasons for running for the Senate, but also about his positions on many diverse issues. He was gracious enough to answer many questions posed to him by the members of the College Republicans at UCSD, the California Review, and the Tritons for Israel.

However the most memorable part of the night was when the daughter of a woman who was tortured and imprisoned by the Chinese government stood up and thanked Assemblyman DeVore for having helped get her mother released. When we learned this, the room was shocked. Below is Assemblyman DeVore’s statement on Veterans Day and on Chinese prisoners of faith relating to the event yesterday evening.

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The meaning of Veterans Day and the case of the Chinese prisoners of faith
Chuck DeVore

On February 22, 1983, I raised my right hand in the Los Angeles MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) and said, “I, Charles Stuart DeVore, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; That I will bear true faith And allegiance to the same…” With those words, I became United States Army Private First Class DeVore, joining the millions of others since 1789 who swore with their lives to “support and defend the Constitution.”

Unlike many veterans, I have been fortunate not to see combat. I was “officially” shot at only once; during the Los Angeles riots in 1992 (well, there was that time in Lebanon, but that wasn’t official; and I was carjacked in 1988 by Panamanian paramilitaries).

When the members of the armed forces of the United States of America fight, they do so not just for their colleagues in uniform next to them – virtually every soldier in history has done that – they do so not for king or country – they fight to preserve a document, the Constitution. In that, the United States Armed forces have become the greatest force for good, for freedom, that the world has ever seen because the Constitution exists to make a reality out of the promise of the Declaration of Independence to secure our “unalienable rights” of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

As a lawmaker and a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army retired Reserve, I have sworn two oaths to “support and defend the Constitution.” It’s an obligation I take seriously. It’s one of the reasons why I do what I can with the power of my office to “secure the Blessings of Liberty” when people ask for my assistance.

This last summer, I was approached by family members of four women wrongly imprisoned in the Peoples Republic of China for their religious beliefs. These family members, all U.S. citizens or resident aliens, went to their U.S. and state representatives, including Senator Barbara Boxer’s office, asking for help. They were turned away. No one would assist them by using the moral power of their office to move the Chinese authorities. By the time they came to my office in desperation, they were in tears. At least one woman, Jinhua Ma, the mother of a California resident, had been held for a year without charges in a “Laogai” – a Chinese forced “Reeducation Through Labor” camp.

I agreed to lend the services of my office to help these California families. We sent letters to the Chinese Ambassador, the Consul General, the Mayor and Police Chief of Shanghai, and others. I wrote about the case (and was roundly criticized by some for “wasting” my time when there were more important things to worry about in California).

A few weeks after we sent the letters, we found out that the Chinese legal system had filed formal charges against the four. The sleep deprivation tactics ceased and treatment improved. Then, in September, came welcome news, Jinhua Ma, unjustly-held for a year in hard labor, was released. I was moved to tears at the thought of relief that must have swept over Jinhua Ma’s family.

Last night I spoke to the UC San Diego College Republicans. It was my 201st campaign event since declaring for office. Unknown to me, a young San Diego woman by the name of Joanna Wang was in the audience. Near the end of my talk, she rose to read a statement. She thanked me for getting her mother out of prison in China. It was a powerful moment as I struggled to keep my composure. Joanna Wang’s mother is Jinhua Ma and Jinhua Ma now breathes free air.

This is why I serve.

photo © Gary B. Myers

A Snarky Retort to Supporters of Obamacare

Alice Chao, California Review Alumnus

Some signs government healthcare will be horribly run:

1. The Post Office
The origin of the term “going postal”, which refers to suddenly becoming extremely and uncontrollably angry, often to the point of violence especially in a workplace environment; “going obamacare” will soon be the new “it” term for “going postal”

2. The DMV
We’ve all waited in those crazy long lines that go out the door. Once in these doors, we are forced to take a number and wait, get another number and wait. Then we wait more, until we are old enough to collect Social Security, should the system actually not break down before we become eligible. Do you really want a government healthcare system that makes you wait until you need your casket? These two should be reasons enough, but I will continue

Israel 101 at UCSD

Mara Hochberg-Miller, Publicity Chair of Tritons for Israel and Guest Contributor

Eli Levine, a speaker from Hasbara Fellowships, is coming to campus to speak on Tuesday, November 17th, at 7pm . Hasbara Fellowships, a program under Aish International, educated and trains university students how to be effective pro-Israel activists on their campuses. This event is hosted by Tritons for Israel and is aimed at those who have a basic understanding of Israel, but lack the information or skill to speak on its behalf.

Eli will start with a brief overview, and then teach techniques on how to have a pro-Israel message specifically on college campuses. He will teach how to utilize the skills and knowledge you posses to become effective Israel advocates. The location of the event is yet to be determined, but check the Facebook group for updates. Hope to see you there!

Chuck DeVore speaking at UC San Diego!!!

    Assemblyman Chuck Devore, of California’s 70th Assembly District will be coming to speak at UCSD on behalf of the College Republicans at UCSD on Tuesday, 10 November. Assemblyman DeVore will be speaking from 8:30 to 9:30 in the Thurgood Marshall Room in Price Center West. Assemblyman DeVore is running for Senate against Senator Barbara Boxer in 2010.
He has been instrumental in the conservative movement and has held strong to his morals in the California State Assembly. Assemblyman DeVore is a retired LtCol in the in the Army National Guard and he has worked in the Reagan Administration as well as for the Department of Defense. Assemblyman DeVore has been a shining example of a true Republican and strong conservative.

Chuck DeVore, Candidates for Senate, showing support for the California Review

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

Scott Kaufman, Staff Writer

On November 9th, 1989, an Iron Curtain which had descended across the continent of Europe twenty-eight years prior began to crumble. From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, in the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe, the tyrants which had held the Eastern Bloc in an iron grip of oppression for forty-four years began to lose their grip on power and fall much like that wall of concrete and iron in Berlin and all across the frontier between free and occupied Europe.

This year, on November 9th, 2009, the College Republicans @ UCSD celebrate the 20th year of a Europe free from division and tyranny. On Library Walk from 9 am to 3 pm the CRs will be kicking off this aptly named Freedom Week with a replica of the Berlin Wall in which students can educate themselves on the tyrannical and oppressive nature of communism that existed in Eastern Europe and still exists to this day all over the world. Students will also be encouraged to freely express themselves through art on the Western side of the wall in an appreciation of the freedoms granted to us in the Western world and the United States of America. So come join us and let freedom ring on Freedom Week!

Holocaust Living History Workshop

Hey everyone,

A friend of mine just contacted me and asked me to let our readers in on an incredible experience at UCSD that I think you’ll really enjoy. I hope you will check it out.

Alec Weisman, Editor-in-Chief

______________________________________________________________

Meet local Holocaust survivors, hear their personal stories, explore other
survivors’ testimony on the USC Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive.
The Holocaust Living History Workshop Presents, Discovering History: Local
Holocaust Survivors Tell Their Story

All speakers are Wednesday evenings at 5pm

Mr. Max Schindler, November 4
Mrs. Gussie Zaks, November 18

Read information about each speaker at UCSD News Center:
http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/general/10-09DiscoveringHistory.asp

Geisel Library, Seuss Room
Take two sharp lefts upon entering the library. Signs will direct you.

For more information, visit us at libraries.ucsd.edu/services/hlhw

Or contact:
Marina Triner
Program Assistant
Office Hours: Mondays, 11am-3pm
Geisel Library, Social Science Reference
or by appointment
lib-mtriner@ad.ucsd.edu
858-534-7661

A War Worth Fighting

Justin Morse, Staff Writer

In recent weeks the war in Afghanistan has come to the forefront in America and around the globe. General McChrystal, commanding general of U.S. & international forces in Afghanistan, has written that the overall situation is “deteriorating”, and that the Taliban has gained the upper hand. Many areas of Afghanistan are not under control of either the Afghan government or coalition forces. The U.S. and coalition forces are engaged in a brutal fight with the Taliban, with the 3-month stretch from July-September proving to be by far the deadliest period of the war with 223 coalition fatalities. As a result of the deteriorating situation, many have begun to call for the U.S. to cut its loses and withdraw from Afghanistan. In a recent public opinion poll 51% of Americans responded that the war is not worth fighting, up 10% from March. All of these developments cause me great concern.

So what is America supposed to do? I don’t pretend to have an easy answer or solution to that problem. There is no silver bullet in Afghanistan that will solve the problems there overnight. However, Gen. McChrystal has proposed a plan that in my opinion has the best chance of succeeding. It includes a troop increase, although how much of one is still under debate. More importantly this plan shifts the focus of our mission from simply hunting down the Taliban and Al Qaeda, to providing protection for the Afghan people in a comprehensive manner. Afghanistan like Iraq is a different kind of war from the conventional style that Americans know. It’s a classic insurgency war where the support and assistance of the local people is the objective. In a recent poll, Afghan citizens put security above any other issue as the most important problem facing Afghanistan. Without security, any political, economic or social solutions to the problems facing Afghanistan will not be successful. Today, there simply are not enough forces in Afghanistan to effectively provide effective security. Therefore I support this increase in forces to coincide with our change in strategy. I think the question of just how many forces will be needed should be left up to Gen. McChrystal and Gen. Petraeus.

California Republican Party Convention 2009 in Indian Wells, Ca

Alec Weisman, Editor-In-Chief

Over the past weekend, we attended the California Republican Convention in Indian Wells California. During our stay, we brought 300 issues of our latest issue of the California Review to distribute and share with politicians, conservative activists, and other college republicans, as a way to boost morale and help get our conservative message out within the party.

We were greeted with almost unanimous approval, with many politicians and conservative leaders graciously taking a picture with the California Review, with many of them agreeing to be interviewed by staffers with The California Review in the near future.

I was really grateful when, as I was preparing to leave Indian Wells on Sunday morning, to see so many of the people at the Convention with their own copy of the California Review and desiring to follow up with us in the future.

As for the students at UCSD for whom we directly look at, keep your eyes open for a copy of the California Review at one of the lecture halls. We will also be out hand distributing the issue on library walk during the week of October 5-9. So get your issue of the California Review, get involved, and start writing for us as well!!!

Also, make sure to register for our mailing list to keep up to date with the California Review, along with receiving important news articles. We will be sending out an email either weekly or biweekly. Also, make sure to confirm your subscription in your email.

https://mailman.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/thecaliforniareview-l

For the pictures from CRP, visit the link below. Guest password is: UCSDCalRev

http://s639.photobucket.com/albums/uu119/californiareview

Why Canadian Health Care Should not be a model for the US

Alice Chao, Staff Writer

Healthcare is the hot topic of the day. And considering our own President and his Democrat colleagues have not even read the entire bill they claim to so passionately support, it’s time for some frank discussion. Since 99.99999999% Americans including the President and Congress have not read the bill in its entirety and neither have I, we should instead discuss the practical implications and applications of Obamacare; which if renamed and made into a horror movie should be titled “Socialized Medicine: What the Canadians Have”. In an effort to better articulate my views on this issue, I have watched a plethora of videos on this very issue. One particularly helpful commentary/documentary came in the form of one of Steven Crowder, on PJTV.com, a conservative news commentary site where he undertakes a social experiment of sorts. He and two other Canadian friends, one of which has a Canadian socialized healthcare card, make the trek up to Canada for some medical aid due to a skateboarding accident to see just how “good” Canadian socialized healthcare is. His documentary highlights several of the dangerous and deadly flaws that are rampant in a socialized health care system. This discussion is in part an echo of the vast majority of Americans that oppose Obamacare; and though does not particularly discuss the plight of uninsured Americans, it makes a strong case for those that currently have quality private insurance as to why Obamacare could be devastating to their health, wallets and children’s debt.

The two big points demonstrated in Crowder’s documentary are the lack in quality of care and long waits for care. In terms of quality of care, when your nation utilizes socialized medicine, as Canada does, the government runs your healthcare. As with governments around the world that manage health care, the Canadian federal government is running out of money to support its extremely expensive system. This will inevitability lead to care having to be rationed. The federal government is just plain broke; therefore broke people and governments can’t provide services it can’t afford to provide. Furthermore, we all know that the government is notorious for its ineptitude to do anything without long lines and unnecessary red tape, hold-ups, lock-outs, filibusters, and nuclear options. Crowder’s documentary painted a clear picture of the future of Obamacare in practice through the interview with Diane, a Canadian woman whose mother thanks to socialized healthcare lost two legs, instead of merely saving one leg. After having to wait one year for government approval of treatment for issues with one leg, her condition worsened and led to loss of both of her two legs.

9/12 Tea Parties in Southern California

An Exciting Affair in South Orange County- San Juan Capistrano 912 TEA Party.
Gabriella Hoffman, Staff Writer

On September 12th, 2009, I had the pleasure of attending a TEA party in San Juan Capistrano in partnership with Glenn Beck’s 912 Project. Being that this was the only major event to storm Orange County in a while, it was the opportune moment to convene with others equally concerned about the path our nation is heading in. The South OC 912 Project organized this marvelous event to unite Americans from all walks of life for a common cause: discontent for the cultural transformation playing out today, dissatisfaction with the Administration’s plans for virtual takeover of our lives, and the lack of accountability held by the politicians who were and are supposed to work on our behalf (not theirs).

Being my first TEA party, the San Juan Capistrano affair was a successful event. My parents, who hail from Lithuania (a country once oppressed by the Soviet Union) and sister showed their support for the event by holding signs, actively participating, and relishing on the fact that Americans understand that a communist system could and should never work in America. Fellow UCSD College Republicans Alec Weisman (and editor of the California Review), Richard Davis, and Misty Tienken came as well and stood with their fellow Americans in a celebration of 9/12/01, a day which was marked by unity after that fateful day. People were passionate about our country and held a high regard for patriotism, family, values, limited government, and the like. The OC Register reports that about 1,000 people were in attendance (although estimates of about 2,000 have been circulating), and excitement was greatly showcased during the event. Adults and some young conservatives were in attendance, although being Orange County one would think that more people would have come…Speakers like Chuck DeVore, Bill Hunt, Shawn Black sure got most of the limelight, but it was a speech presented by Reverend Jesse Lee Peterson that resonated the most in my mind. He touched basis on the fundamental issues at hand in this weary time, and came across as the most meaningful and genuine. Overall, the San Juan Capistrano TEA party communicated the air Glenn Beck urged Americans to evince six months ago: one of dedication, common sense, and love for the United States of America.