UA Young Democrat Banned From Bush Forum (www.arizona.edu/papers/) By Cassie Tomlin
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Tuesday, March 22, 2005

A UA student was banned from attending President Bush's Social Security forum at the Tucson Convention Center yesterday.

UA Young Democrat Steven Gerner, a political science and pre-pharmacy sophomore, said he and three other Young Democrats had been waiting in line with their tickets for about 40 minutes when a staff member approached him and asked to read his T-shirt.

Gerner was the only one of the four wearing a UAYD T-shirt, which read, "Don't be a smart (image of a donkey, the Democratic Party symbol). UA Young Democrats."

Gerner said the staffer, who refused to provide his name, asked for Gerner's ticket and crumpled it up.

The staffer walked away, returned in 20 minutes, and told Gerner his name had been added to a list banning him from entering the convention center for the speech.

"I was certainly shocked," Gerner said. "Everyone should have access to this information."

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