On Thursday the ISU College Republicans took deliberate and undemocratic actions to keep members of this school from what should have been a public event.

The Bush daughters, Jenna and Barbara, made a visit to Iowa State. I was quite excited when I heard they were coming. I RSVPed to Louis Kishkunas, the president of ISU College Republicans, to tell him I would be there. The event was invite-only, and I wanted to be on the list.

I arrived at the Memorial Union a little early to make sure I would get a good seat. I was wearing jeans and an old shirt. To my surprise, Mr. Kishkunas approached me right away.

He asked me if I was there to cause problems. I told him that I was not. He asked to look inside my bag. I didn’t think that he was serious, but he was.

Mr. Kishkunas checked my bag and then asked me to lift my shirt. He thought I might be wearing something offensive underneath.

Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who thought this because when I sat down, the guy next to me said in a voice loud enough for me to hear that he thought I was wearing two shirts for the same reason.

I was taking notes because I was considering writing something about the event. I was a little offended that Mr. Kishkunas had only asked to look at my belongings and didn’t bother with any other students who had bookbags and two T-shirts.

I asked him if I could speak with him after the show. He said talking with him would be fine. A few moments later, I was approached by a young lady who told me that the press were not allowed in the room, and I was asked to leave.

I could meet the Bush daughters in the press room. I put up a bit of a fight, but I didn’t want to make a scene, although it seemed like everyone there was expecting me to.

I left the room and went to the press room, where I was not allowed in. I then proceeded to the first room and was also not allowed in there.

The Secret Service said the problem was that the door could not be opened for security reasons.

A few minutes later a man arrived dressed in khakis and polo. The doors were opened and he went right in. I tried to follow, but was stopped. I learned the problem was not the doors — the problem was me.

Why was the event not open to the press or the public? After visiting the Iowa State Capitol building, I left feeling really good about my government. If you have never been there, you should really go. I opened the door to Gov. Tom Vilsack’s office and walked right in. I had some cookies sitting on a table in the lobby, and it felt welcoming.

The Bush twins were the exact opposite. I left feeling horrible about my government; I felt like I was constantly being looked at. They never wanted me there, and they used any opportunity to get rid of me. I had been “dealt with,” and there was no way I could leave feeling good about it.

Shyam Goswami

Senior

Civil Engineering