The president of FAU’s College Democrats (FAUCD) didn’t feel invited to FAU College Republicans’ (FAUCR) 9/11 event.
The FAUCR organized 9/11 Never Forget, an event in which 2,977 flags were put up to represent lives lost in the terrorist attacks.
FAUCD President Boris Bastidas said the FAUCR made no outreach to the Democrats on this event, while FAUCR president Ashley Anastasi said that everyone was invited.
“An event was suggested in an email [to the FAUCR] to have both Republicans and Democrats to do something together on Glades road. Then I received a Facebook invite to the event they were having,” said Bastidas.
“We invited everyone on Facebook. We didn’t call anyone specifically,” said president of FAUCR, Ashley Anastasi.
“I never received a single email, Facebook message or phone call from the president of Republicans.” said Bastidas. “A Facebook invite is not a personal outreach.”
“He could have asked to help out, but he didn’t stop by,” said Anastasi.
Bastidas said he didn’t want the FAUCD to create a 9/11 event because he felt it would seem like it was competing with the FAUCR.
“Personally, I didn’t feel invited and that they didn’t want to have us there. It would be like me asking to come to your birthday party when I wasn’t invited.” said Bastidas.
He said he did not go to the event because he had homework. “Just because I didn’t go doesn’t mean I don’t care about 9/11.”
Patriot • Sep 13, 2011 at 6:31 pm
I didn’t know FAU was a kindergarten classroom.
Jon Taylor • Sep 13, 2011 at 3:17 pm
In case anyone is interested in who the Young America’s Foundation is, please reference this statement from their website. (yaf.org):
Young America’s Foundation is an educational organization that sponsors speakers on campus and in the community, provides activist resources and materials, holds conferences and seminars, and saved the Reagan Ranch. As a non-profit, educational foundation, it engages in non-partisan and non-political activities; all contributions are completely tax deductible.
Again, this was a non-partisan event. Any attempt to label it otherwise is purely political pageantry.
Boris Bastidas • Sep 13, 2011 at 2:31 pm
For Jeff,
I was invited, and I told reporter that I was invited. However the reporter asked me if my club, as in the College Democrats was not invited. That’s what I’m referring to, of course I got a facebook invitation, and that’s more than enough for me to be invited. Again, I WAS INVITED, but my club was not, the reporter asked me if I was invited and I said YES. The Reporter asked me why my club did not paricipate and I said “we were not invited to take part in the event” That’s the truth.
For Crybaby, I don’t want special treatment, I got a facebook invitation like everyone else, but the reporter asked ME why my club, the College Democrats, did not take place in the event. I didn’t go running crying to the UP, they came asking me whether I was invited and why my club didn’t take part. I told them I was invited and that they did not invite my club. Again, the UP came to me, I didn’t go to them. And you can go ask them if you don’t believe me. I really had no complaints about this event, but if someone is gonna ask me why my club didn’t participate, then of course I’m gonna say that we weren’t invited. The CR’s can invite whoever they want, and I commend them for their even! But they didn’t invite my club, and that’s just answering the question that the UP asked me.
For Jon, there were no Republican signs however the event had YAF all over it, which is a conservative organization. That’s ok, there’s nothing wrong with that. But seeing that you did respond to Chris by telling him that you guys were doing your own event I think just confirms that from day one you guys did not want to do a 9/11 event with us, so that’s why you didn’t invite us. Of course I was invited on facebook and that’s more than enough for me as an individual, but my club didn’t take part in the event because you guys didn’t invite us to, thats the question that I was asked and that is what I answered. I’m not throwing a fit, a UP reporter asked me why my club wasn’t there, and then they asked why we didn’t reach out, and I just told them we weren’t invited and we shouldn’t be in the business of inviting ourselves to events.
Again guys, I was invited, and I honestly chose not to go not just because I didn’t feel invited enough but because I had school work, like many other students who are very patriotic and would have loved to attend. The UP asked me why I didn’t go, I told them I was invited but I was busy. They asked me why my club wasn’t part of the event, and I said that my club was not invited. That is all.
– Boris Bastidas
Eli • Sep 13, 2011 at 2:28 pm
There was an announcement for all members of the university through the myfau login. So everybody was invited if they checked their FAU email.
Jeff • Sep 13, 2011 at 12:44 pm
How can someone feel that they are not ‘invited’ to a 9/11 memorial? As a community event everyone is invited and no one is excluded. I really cannot fathom how Boris can think he (or anyone else for that matter) was not invited. As American’s we should put aside these petty partisanships, especially on 9-11.
Crybaby • Sep 13, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Boo hoo… BB needs to grow up. Why does be want special treatment. If he wanted to be involved he should’ve taken his own advice that he talks about with SG and gotten involved himself. Maybe FAUCR should’ve extended a personal invitation, but if he got one on Facebook like everyone else, That shoulde been enough IMO… And he shouldn’t have cried to the UP about it…
Jon Taylor • Sep 13, 2011 at 12:34 pm
The 9/11: Never Forget Project was planned months in advance. We have an internal policy not to publicize events until they are authorized by the University. This was a non-partisan event, however Boris Bastidas has brought a shadow over an otherwise highly successful event.
There were no Republican signs anywhere to be found, and we were not recruiting members. This was solely an attempt to visually represent the lives lost on that tragic day in a stunning way, which we certainly accomplished. If Boris Bastidas wanted to participate in the event then he only needed to show up. Members of the community came and participated, yet Boris Bastidas, who lives on campus, couldn’t be bothered to walk to the display.
Even the Peace Walk participated by re-routing their walk to include our display at the last minute.
Boris Bastidas is referencing this facebook message:
Hey Jon!
I hope this email finds you well! I am currently ———. In addition to my legislative responsibilities, I work on PATRIOTIC VISION, an effort to bring Americans from both sides of the aisle together to discuss and help develop common sense solutions that are good for the whole country.
As you know, this year marks the 10th Anniversary of September 11th. We’re trying to get College Republican and College Democrat groups from across the nation to come together at the nearest major intersection to their school for a non-political pro-American rally on Sunday, September 11, 2011 from 1 – 2 PM in their respective time zone. The idea here is to re-kindle the unity that we all felt on 9/11, when it didn’t matter if you were Republican or Democrat, because we were all Americans on that day.
We’re recommending the signs at the rally include messages such as:
“WE STAND UNITED WITH 9/11 FAMILIES”
“WE’RE AMERICANS, WE STAND UNITED”
“HONK IF YOU STAND UNITED WITH US”
“STAND UNITED AS ONE NATION UNDER GOD”
“AMERICA IS STRONGEST WHEN WE STAND UNITED”
“STAND UNITED FOR FREEDOM”
“WE STAND UNITED IN SUPPORT OF OUR TROOPS”
“LET’S ROLL AND STAND UNITED”
“WE THE PEOPLE STAND UNITED”
“WILL YOU STAND UNITED WITH US?”
I’m contacting you in the hopes that you can help organize the 9/11 STAND UNITED RALLY with the Florida A&M Republicans and Democrats.
Please call me at ———-, email me at [email protected] or message me here on Facebook to let me know if you are able to help out. I look forward to speaking with you soon and to helping bring Americans together as we STAND UNITED in remembrance of the lives lost on 9/11/01.
I replied with:
The majority of the College Republicans are running the 9/11: Never Forget project with the help Young America’s Foundation. Florida Atlantic University is a participant, so I will be unable to assist. This too is non-partisan, but it was easier for the College Republicans to run the event since we are quite passionate about American Exceptionalism.
Best Wishes,
Jon Taylor
So now you have all of the information and the timeline. Why, exactly, is Boris throwing a fit again? Perhaps it is he who is playing politics with the 9/11 anniversary?
Jon Taylor
Vice President
FAU College Republicans