Interesting article from 1992 about The Machine

Atlanta68
Fri, 13 Sep 2013 17:51:37 +0000

When I was a student, I ran for SGA Senate, and lost to the Machine candidate, even though I had the endorsement of the CW. I also worked for at least two non-Machine candidates for SGA president. When there was strong evidence of voter irregularities, I helped lead protests, including a sit in at SGA Headquarters in the Ferg. I witnessed a Frat pledge rip down a non-Machine candidate’s sign in my dorm. I heard many stories about what these creeps have done to anyone who dares to oppose them at UA. Nasty bunch. But until more non-Greeks vote in the student elections, I don’t see how the Machine will go away. The Machine thrives on apathy, ignorance, resume padding and Pan-Hellenic loyalty.

The UA administration actually did crack down on the SGA shortly after the disputed election for which I joined in protest with other students. I think UA had no SGA for two years. I think the spark for the crackdown was the assault on Minda Riley, a member of a Machine sorority who had the audacity to run against the Machine endorsed candidate. Her father went on to become governor in Alabama. So I think her relationship to a powerful man in the state spurred UA into action. Let’s hope the AA rushee’s relationship with a trustee will do the same. But let’s also demand that the reforms last longer than two years.