The Biggie of Modern Whitman Activism
The last class who would have personally known Matt Singer just graduated this year ('05), as he attended Whitman for his freshman year in 2001-2002 before transferring over to Montana. For those who haven't participated in the Campus Greens, Whitman Civil Liberties Union, or just about any other 'progressive' campus activist organization, Mr. Singer carries a lot of legend and received a lot of credit for his inspiration as a 'super-activist'.
Now, I don't recall exactly what organizations he founded or participated in while at Whitman, but it seems his involvement was crucial to the reinvigoration of Whitman activism in just the year prior to my arrival at the school. In any case, we'd be remiss as activists at Whitman to forget his contributions to our way of life both on- and off-campus. In hiphop terms, Matt Singer was the 'Biggie' of Whitman politics, whose brief tenure gave way to the Puff Daddy-esque homages led by Matt Eppelsheimer, with the Co-Op possibly attaining a role in this allegory as his 'Sean John' line of clothing. I'm just glad no one's been shot and Sting hasn't sued.
Matt Singer is alive and well, however, and posting about leftism in the western states in his blog, appropriately titled Left in the West. It seems he has moderated his views slightly from those radical Whitman days and is now a cheerleader for dark horse Democratic candidates to win governorships and presidencies. Dig it.
Now, I don't recall exactly what organizations he founded or participated in while at Whitman, but it seems his involvement was crucial to the reinvigoration of Whitman activism in just the year prior to my arrival at the school. In any case, we'd be remiss as activists at Whitman to forget his contributions to our way of life both on- and off-campus. In hiphop terms, Matt Singer was the 'Biggie' of Whitman politics, whose brief tenure gave way to the Puff Daddy-esque homages led by Matt Eppelsheimer, with the Co-Op possibly attaining a role in this allegory as his 'Sean John' line of clothing. I'm just glad no one's been shot and Sting hasn't sued.
Matt Singer is alive and well, however, and posting about leftism in the western states in his blog, appropriately titled Left in the West. It seems he has moderated his views slightly from those radical Whitman days and is now a cheerleader for dark horse Democratic candidates to win governorships and presidencies. Dig it.
posted by tom at
10:15 AM
2 Comments:
Heh.
You way overstate what I did at Whitman. My politics have moved both center and left over the past couple years. My allegiance to the Dems has as much to do with Bush and with Campus Green leadership as it does with the Democratic Party.
Anyways, keep it up.
By
Matt Singer, at 4:27 PM
Matt- From what I was told as a young'un freshman getting involved with Greens and other groups, you were pretty memorable, if not downright influential. Apologies if I misrepresented your Whitman years and hope your Montana adventures are swell.
p.s. I had Big Sky IPA at the Oregon Brewers Festival yesterday--it was one of my faves.
By
tom, at 2:37 PM
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