I am a junior class senator in the Students’ Association. I am here to say I believe that Facebook has had a positive effect on the way I am able to communicate with those I seek to represent. I understand the need for students to have meaningful person-to-person communication. Facebook does not replace a good conversation or a political rally. However, where our parents sent out letters and passed out leaflets, we create websites and even Facebook groups.

I am an avid Facebook user. Two of the groups referenced in the article condemning Facebook users as pointless in their efforts were started by me. One in particular, the Lectureship attendance policy group, is a part of an initiative that is being discussed by the SA Congress, and eventually the Faculty Senate. This effort has been, in part, driven by ACU Facebook users.

It is my goal as an SA Senator to represent the interests and goals of my fellow peers and actively advocate for those goals and interests. Facebook has empowered me, in part, to do this. If you look to the results of Facebook groups like the Save Darfur or Invisible Children campaigns, you will see the results are hundreds of thousands of students rallying in DC and across the nation. I dare say that without Facebook such effective communication would not have been possible. Look to the results Facebook groups have been responsible for; maybe then we will see the effectiveness of the Facebook social utility.

Brandon Smith
junior political science major from Keller