“In no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law ... That would lead to anarchy. An individual who breaks a law that his conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community."

-Anthony J. D'Angelo

Caring is community. No Iowa State isn’t really a community. My department isn’t a community. IRHA isn’t a community. RCA isn’t a community and even BLFF/N isn’t a community. Lyon Hall is more of a community, but a real community lies within the first and second floors specifically. Barker House is a community. People care, really genuinely care about the health and well being and educational and social state of each resident. No, a community does not require a mom or a dad or even someone in charge of that assigned parental figure. No, a community only requires caring. Caring is exemplified in many ways. Words both spoken and unspoken, actions, looks, hugs, group activities which may or may not involve water, shared dinners, and banning together to support one cause. We care what happens to each individual in our community as well as what happens to our community itself.

"One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency."

-Arnold Glasgow

"The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision."

-Theodore Hesburgh

"Leadership is a combination of strategy and character. If you must be without one, be without the strategy."

-Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf

My definition of leadership is found in all three of those quotes. Recognition of a problem before it becomes an emergency is important. I’d like to think that all of the leaders I live with have that sixth sense. I have never in my 2.5 years living on Barker encountered an emergency, nor have I ever heard of an emergency which was caused by poor leadership on Barker. It’s almost funny how effective we are at governing and regulating ourselves so that no one and no property is injured, isn’t it? Vision is also important in leadership. One has to have something they’re working towards, or what is the point? Total enlightenment and fun is what we’re working for on Barker. All the leaders who live here want that. We want everyone to be aware of the issues and problems that surround us. We want everyone to enjoy their time here. We want people to learn and have an environment in which they can be comfortable to be themselves regardless of who that may be. I find it ironic how up until this point we’ve succeeded without problem or controversy in succeeding in the vision we have seen for Barker. And last but not least, leadership requires character. Every person on Barker has character which makes them a leader. Although we may lack a clean living environment due to circumstances which we cannot control such as sewer pipes breaking and suffer through months of mal-nourishment thanks to our fine dining service program, we do not lack character. There is an over abundance of character on Barker, but that is what makes us special. Each character has a new and different place to lead us to.

My style of leadership isn’t that which most of the people employed by the DOR probably is. I do not tell people to do as I say and not as I do. I will not enforce rules by which I do not live because I do not deem them fair or right or necessary. I will not hold anyone to a standard to which I would not hold myself. I will break rules that I don’t agree with regardless of the consequences. I will not expect anyone else to abide by these rules that I break. Rules were made to be broken. Especially those rules which have no real basis except that some old school, 85 year old man thought it would be appropriate to include something in some obscure part of a document which students are forced to abide by without ever really having a say. Who says dictatorship isn’t alive and well in this country? It’s all about personal perception. We perceive things differently because we’ve all had different experiences which cause us to look at life differently. Your rules may make perfect sense to you, but there’s a reason we break them: our perception of either the principle behind the rule or the basic meaning of it is different than the enforcers of the rule.

It is NOT my job to keep people in line. I do not get paid by the DOR to do this nor do I ever want to. If I wanted to be employed as a spy, I would work for the CIA. I am not perfect nor is anyone else I live with. I will never be perfect especially while I’m in college and trying to find out who I am. Apparently people haven’t watched the classic college movies. I am not, nor are any of my residents that extreme, but it does paint a picture of who we are. We are not paying money to this institution to become intellectual, stuck up pricks. We are paying to attend this institution to find ourselves, our voices, our true colors. I respect that. I acknowledge that, and I participate in that. If the worst thing that my Barker family and I do is throw water on the floor then I will consider my time here quite docile, and frankly I’ll be disappointed that we didn’t cause more of an upheaval.

My style is more of “Carpe Diem.” But note that isn’t my leadership style. That is my lifestyle. I live for the day, for the moment, for the now. Laugher is key in my life. I find my time to be wasted and worthless if I don’t laugh. I have fun and that is reflected in what I do. Honesty and trust are my policies. I am one of many people who live here who are trustworthy and honest. I tell it to you like it is, and I want it back the same way. If you have a problem with me, tell me. None of this beating around the bush. If you want it straight, ask for it straight up. I’ll tell you what I think. Everyone I live with will get it straight from me. If they’ve annoyed me or are being rude, I’ll tell them so. If I don’t think they are in the wrong, I’ll tell them that too. Actions speak louder than words and I know this. We all know this. My door is always open. Wake me up at 4 AM if you need to talk about your idiot boyfriend or catch me at lunch to release some pent up anger about a failed calculus test. My mind is always open too. I hate ignorant people, and the last thing I want to become is one of them. Tell me why you think the way you do. Explain your customs or rituals or mode of thinking to me. If I’m wrong or too critical in my way of thinking, I want someone to tell me. If I have hurt or offended someone, let me know. I’m the kind of person who is open to new ideas and experiences. People know that and they take advantage of that aspect of my “leadership.” Maybe other people should follow suit and learn something from my house. “If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.” -JFK We have learned and thrived on being different. We are the most diverse group of people I have ever met and yet, you notice little to no conflict. We have figured out a way to coexist peacefully and to respect the thoughts and decisions of others. That’s my philosophy. It takes all kinds to make the world go ‘round. Listen and look and you may learn something.

I did not actually choose to become a leader. No one on Barker chooses to become a leader. It is a role you are given over time whether it be a formal or informal leadership position. They’re all the same. You put in your time and you get respect. Everyone on Barker is a leader in their own way. They almost all lead by being who they are. That’s what I respect and that’s what people respect in me. We don’t pretend to be things we are not. No real leader would. We don’t profess we are perfect or all knowing or wonderful. We lead by loving and by being loved. We lead by trusting and by being trusted. Our type of leadership is one that apparently the DOR isn’t too familiar with. We are honest and sincere in our words and actions. But at the same time I also must say no one on Barker is a follower. We are all strong enough in who we are or are becoming to be able to stand on our own two feet. We don’t need someone leading us around on a short leash telling us when to study or eat or sleep or what decisions to make. We are all adults and we make decisions like adults; we take what we know and what we feel and we act upon those. I am not, nor have I ever been responsible for anyone else’s actions. I will not accept the consequences of anyone else’s actions either. We all are intelligent, competent, and very capable human beings. We all know the rules and we all choose to break them.

If you insist that my vision of my role and responsibilities has to evolve over time I’ll grant you that in one area. My loyalty to this place has become astronomical. This is something I stress and will always stress to people. This place is the best place in the world. Yes, I think it’s even better than Disney World. My role in keeping that attitude about Barker is one that many people who live here also have. We will and do give our all to our Barker family. It is hard not to when you know the kind of people I live with. We will advocate for the rights of ourselves and this building itself. If you mess with Barker in any manner of the word, you mess with me personally. If you hurt a member of my family, you’ve hurt me. I don’t take kindly to the people who hurt the people I love. I am only becoming what the people who have now left this floor were to me. I am the oral history of this floor. We pass down the legends and stories and advice and insight that has been learned over the years. (In case you were wondering, yes, this too shall be added to that plethora of information and the truth will be told.) My role is not one of power or position or title. My role is that of a resident. It changes every year because I happen to get wiser with age. The more I know, or come to realize, the more I will pass on. My responsibilities are to make sure that everyone living here has a good time, DOR rules and regulations providing, of course. If I succeed in making one person have the best college experience they could ever possibly have, then I’ve done my job.

I realize that certain people in the DOR believe I should have additional responsibilities in my house because of what position I hold. Well, you’re right. But one thing you might not understand is that my responsibilities lie with my house, my family, not with you, the DOR. I am not your little spy, your little secret agent woman. I am an advocate for the rights of my friends because I am one of them. I am not a traitor and I am not an enforcer of the rules. I am a 20 year old college student who wants to have as much fun as the next person and that doesn’t change just because I happen to have been elected president. Obviously you don’t understand why I was elected president. I’m sure there were various reasons but I know the majority of why I am doing this job and someone else isn’t is because: 1) they know I would do my job and do it well and 2) no one else wanted to do it. Like it or not, those are the politics that govern my house. This is not to say that I do not enjoy being the president, nor do I regret my decision to be the president. I take my position to heart. I represent the people who elected me and I voice their opinions. Anyone who knows anything about politics should know that if you want to get re-elected you have to do what your people want and not what Iraq or Iran want you to do.

I love being president. Why? Because all my constituents take such good care of me. They roll out the red carpet. They feed the me grapes while fanning me with palm leaves. They escort me around campus on a golf cart. They do my homework and clean my room and bake me cookies. That’s why I love being president. Get real. Have you ever lived in a dorm? Have you ever been surrounded by 51 of your closest friends? Have you ever had people who were so important in your life that you would do anything for them and they would do the same for you? That’s why I’m president. I am doing what my friends and family needed. I’m keeping the traditions alive. I’m getting the job done. I’m doing all the nasty, boring stuff that no one else wanted to do. I stepped up to the plate. That’s it. I’m not the Pope or Mother Teresa . I’m more like Harriet Tubman, leading people through the dark, cold night, defying laws which aren’t just, so that they can have a better tomorrow. I’m no more or less important than anyone else in this house. I do not have some kind of weird power trip that I’m wound up in. I’m not full of myself and expecting special treatment. I don’t walk down the hall hoping to have my feet kissed and people admire me for my iron fist and firm words. I am a student, a friend, a confident, a person you want on your side and would hate to have against you. I’m not a DOR employee, I’m an elected official, there’s a difference.

Rest assured my “involvement in violation(s) of the Iowa State University Student Disciplinary Regulations/Department of Residence Terms and Conditions Hall Sports T & C policy(ies) that took place on 10/14/02” will be integrated into my leadership policy. I will still be open and honest and available to my friends because together we can do anything. There is strength in numbers and I know this now more than ever. I also know that regardless of the threat to individuals, what we do is for the betterment of the group. All for one and one for all. And I know where my priorities lie. My priorities lie in what I believe is fair and right and just and protecting the people I love and care about. I will do anything for them whenever and wherever they need me to; that will never change regardless of my leadership position. Thank you for helping me realize that.

It doesn’t matter what you think of us. It matters how we live. We live with love and respect and honesty and fun and with family. That’s what’s important. You WON’T take that away from us. You can try. And we understand. It’s easy to condemn things which you do not understand or like. That’s what happens when you live a simple life by the rules. We know where we stand in the whole scheme of things, and we’re okay with that because we’re Barker. Now and forever, whether it be in hearts or minds or memories.