My heart goes out to Bryan Tolles.

But, well, not that much.

I regret that he had to spend 13 hours “in the fucking (Associated Student Government) office” last week, according to a Sept. 25 Daily article. I also regret that students hung Howard Dean signs on the door of the College Democrats’ office. Didn’t they know that Tolles doesn’t “have any fucking time to touch any sign”?

I think it’s encouraging that these signs were put up at all.

Maybe a little advocacy isn’t such a bad idea right now. I mean, if it’s going to get us — students, the targets of politicians nationwide — to do something other than homework (like voting, or even just talking about it) then I’m willing to sacrifice the personal comfort of Bryan Tolles for just a few more minutes. I mean, he did run unopposed …

Northwestern isn’t exactly a hotbed of political action (well, not until it comes to ASG election time, at which point Tolles and his cronies don’t have any qualms about dealing with excessive signage). Sure, I’ve been to the occasional teach-in and seen a few speakers sponsored by the College Democrats and Republicans, but wars and all other things political have a tendency to crop up at the wrong times — that damn quarter system!

Yes, the world will probably still be around in two years when I graduate, but by that time it could be taken over by the likes of Arnie Schwarzenegger and the Bush twins. And unless Jenna’s been downplaying her standardized test scores, we’re all in big trouble.

Regardless, I was just beginning to worry that if the presidential election fell during midterms, we’d all just screw it and stay at the library.

Which was why I was pleasantly surprised when I saw a bunch of students handing out buttons and posters for Dean. Maybe for once this campus can fight for (or about) something other than an improved meal plan. During a period of such political and economic turmoil, we could easily command the attention of this country’s political leaders, hopeful or otherwise.

But hold on a minute. Or maybe even a few weeks. Apparently we’re not allowed in the field. According to Helen Wood, director of the Center for Student Involvement, “(NU) cannot endorse any political candidate. … No funds of any kind can go toward a particular candidate.” This means that no student group funded by NU — like the College Democrats or Republicans, for example — is allowed to endorse political candidates.

And off-campus groups that act independently of the university, such as NU Students for Dean, are not allowed to put up fliers anywhere on campus except public bulletin boards.

Tolles and Wood plan to clarify this policy for students, although the date for that meeting has not been set. However, Tolles has already warned Students for Dean that they should be “cautious of what they do” while they’re waiting to find out.

But if you ask me, this campus has been cautious enough for the past 30 years. I’m sick of being relegated.

That said: Al Sharpton-4-PREZ.