College Republicans Protest Campus Blood Drive, “Tired of People Just Expecting Free Handouts”

Last Tuesday evening, all six of Washu’s fabled “republicans” (whatever that means) could be found angrily waving their signs in protest of the Blood Drive taking place in Bear’s Den. Jason Murray, a spokesman for the group, explained their condemnation of the drive. “Today it might seem like just a little bit of blood here and there, but if we start just giving things away to people who didn’t work for them, where does that leave us? Where do we draw the line?” Murray later added that he thought the entire premise of the drive sounded “rather marxist.” Some members of the group, however, were slightly more outspoken about the issue. Kathy Moore, holding a sign that read “Free Blood Breeds Free Riders!” complained, “I mean, our bodies are out here working hard while some people are just sitting around in hospitals waiting. I don’t see why they aren’t expected to make their own blood like everyone else.” She went on, telling WUnderground she considered it a “disgrace” that “these people are taking blood from hard-working Americans”

When asked how she felt about the club’s protest, freshman donor Rebecca Rice responded “Those guys? Are you serious? One of them tore off my ‘I donated’ sticker and called me an ‘enabler.’ What does that even mean?” Another donor, who prefers not to be named, claimed the club accused her of contributing to America’s “entitlement culture.”

Despite backlash from Student Union, The American Red Cross, and the campus community, College Republicans President Jeremy Jones says the club remains faithfully committed to the issue and is currently collaborating with SLU’s College Republicans for a similar protest on the jesuit university’s campus in January.