Ben Smidt

While speaking about the issue of campus food service at Tuesday night’s Forum Series, Ralph Nader suggested students rebel against Sodexho, UW-Eau Claire’s provider.

“Rebellion is key,” Nader said. “Every year that a food service provider doesn’t face a student rebellion, they have a celebration.”

Nader, a two-time presidential candidate for the Green party, started his speech with a disclaimer.

“This is not an exotic lecture,” Nader said. “I want you to concentrate as much as possible.”

Nader spoke to a packed Zorn Arena about his views concerning big business, the environment, automobile safety and political activism.

During a question-and-answer session after the almost two-hour speech, recent graduate Paul Reith asked Nader what should be done about “the fleecing of the consumer” because of the new food provider on campus.

Nader said students should organize themselves so the food service provider can’t satisfy them with sub-par food. He said the contract with Sodexho must be posted online for all students to view so they know what is happening.

These types of situations “must have a permanent reform, not a weekend demonstration,” Nader said. “The students must have a voice in the quality of the food they are being served.”.

The main focus discussed was the influence corporations have over governments and citizens’ lives.

“We see the world through corporate eyes,” Nader said. “We all grow up corporate.”

He encouraged the crowd to challenge the corporate control by trying to reform government and strengthen democracy through citizen action.

He recalled an early trip to Washington, D.C he made in the 1960s to regulate the auto industry.

He remembered watching auto races and noticing how a driver could smash into another car or wall and still be able to walk away from the wreckage with only a few scrapes, Nader said.

Parallel to the racing world was the auto industry, which had advances in safety features available, he said. Yet, the industry was too interested in making money with stylish cars and chose not to improve on reliability and safety, he said.

The negligence of the auto industry, Nader said, was just one example of “silent violence.”

The concept of “silent violence,” he said, was criminal negligence by corporations that pollutes and endangers the safety and health of people.

Junior Beth Lauterbach said she thought Nader’s violence concept was very intelligent and an important distinction.

“His views are very level-headed, and that’s good to see in politics,” Lauterbach said.

After voicing his stances on vehicle safety, Nader then addressed the nation’s recent financial scandals, such as Enron and Worldcom.

“History has never recorded the greed and power of Worldcom, Enron, etcetera,” Nader said. “This is the greatest corporate crime wave in history.”

Corporations have blocked cleaner and better technology in the past through their involvement in government, Nader said.

“Big business can get away with it because they don’t have to face the people on Main Street everyday,” he said.

When America reached “forks in the road” in the past, it went the wrong way, Nader said. He gave the example of the nation wrongly choosing nuclear power over solar.

At the end of his speech, Nader suggested ways that citizens, especially students, could become politically empowered.

“I understand there isn’t a citizens skills course here,” Nader said. He wants a course offered that teaches how one can become a more active citizen and get involved in changing government policies, he said.

There are three ways students can improve their lives in a political sense.

The first is to do more empirical studies to connect the classroom with the community.

Secondly, he said students should disrupt their usual, set routine.

“You even know when you’re going to get drunk,” Nader joked.

Finally he urged students to use their time at college as best they can to benefit society. He said the campus has great facilities, knowledgeable faculty and lots of opportunities to get involved.

Too often students get into this thought pattern, he said, “memorization, regurgitation and vegetation.”

After criticizing that pattern he said, “You are the ones educating yourselves.”

Lauterbach said she thinks some of her peers will heed Nader’s advice and put it into action.

“Even though our generation is apathetic,” she said, “there will be some new leaders to carry the torch.”