If you read my first two articles, you probably think I’m going to take a a serious tone this year, focusing on politics and the United States’ future.

But you know what? I got this job, and I can write about whatever I want. So today I’m going to write about lapel pins.

Yes, lapel pins. Why?

Because I can. American flag lapel pins became very popular during the 2008 Democratic presidential primary, when then-Sen. Barack Obama was heavily criticized for not wearing one. While I believed the whole debate was drivel, I also decided I would never again wear a suit without the American flag on it in some way or another.

While discussing the debate with my father, a veteran of both Iraq wars, he casually mentioned that he had “loads” of flag pins. I asked if I could borrow one.

Though my brother Chris refused a pin from my father because it was manufactured in China (what’s more American than “Made in China?”), I was hooked, wearing it to every shirt-and-tie event since. I’ve also worn pins honoring fallen soldiers, the Virgin Mary and even marijuana legalization. Nice contrast, huh?

So you can imagine how excited I became when, while running for the University Senate last year, I spotted a picture in The Diamondback of then-university President Dan Mote wearing a gold terrapin lapel pin.

I was infatuated. I raced home and scrambled out an e-mail begging Mote to tell me where he received his pin and how I could acquire such a handsome accessory. Excited for a picture of me riding Testudo while wearing the pin (to make into my Facebook event’s default), I eagerly awaited Mote’s e-mail assuring me a terra-pin was already on the way. Instead, I received this e-mail from his assistant:

“Dear Mr. Nasif: Thanks so much for your email to President Mote. Unfortunately, the pin is for special university friends (donors, award winners, etc.). It was especially designed by Mrs. Mote when Dr. Mote became President and he is the only person who can “pin” the pin on a university friend. Thanks again and I hope this information is helpful to you. Sapienza Barone.”

Really? No pin for me? I guess our school politicians have been lying to us all along. They really do think they belong to a higher class than us rabble. Maybe this university is just a stepping stone for their careers. Is that what we meant to you, Dan Mote?

Time and time again, this university has extolled the virtues of shared governance — a system that gives students a say in the decisions made about this university.

In the 1970s, the University Senate gave students, both graduate and undergraduate, voting seats at the table — allowing students a voice in the school’s legislative center. This would be pretty awesome, except that 145 of the 170 voting senators are not undergraduate students, which makes the senate one more vehicle for screwing students.

But what about the Student Government Association? Although only students make up the SGA, it has no real power. It seems to exist so students can say they did something constructive in college. The university has a long way to go in terms of shared governance and giving me a terrapin lapel pin is definitely a logical first step.

So, in light of this, this column is an open letter to incoming university President Wallace Loh. Mr. President, please give me a terrapin lapel pin! You can keep screwing students in shared governance, but please not me. Don’t make me write another article in caps lock (remember, it’s cruise control for awesome). And don’t try to pull the old “I’m not Patty Mote’s husband.” I see you wearing the pin in The Diamondback all the time. Give me one!

Greg Nasif is a junior history major. He can be reached at nasif at umdbk dot com.