Siddique furthers progressive cause

Photo by Ben Amster

Asheesh Siddique '07 (l.), who has organized filibusters and appeared on television, is the former co-editor of the Princeton Progressive Nation. Juliann Vikse '08, a conservative who prefers friendly debates over divisive arguments, is the publisher of the Princeton Tory.

Asheesh Siddique '07 may as well have been born in front of the Capitol building.

Passionate about his progressive ideology, Siddique, 21, has already made significant strides in the political arena, including two appearances on national television to discuss his activism on Princeton's campus. His heart and mind are singularly focused on politics.

"I feel, above all, a commitment to preserving and protecting American democracy," Siddique, who considers himself an independent despite his progressive leanings, said in a recent interview.

"Democrats don't propose anything. They need to propose something different," he added.

Siddique's first experience with political activism came when the United States launched the war in Iraq. It was at protests against the war that his political views were actually moderated, he said, as he saw aspects of extreme liberalism with which he disagreed.

"Attending the protests made me more aware," Siddique said. "I disagreed with what I saw as a tendency for some of the extreme elements to propose ridiculous ideas. I saw an anti-Americanism that was destructive."

In his freshman year at Princeton, he started writing for the Princeton Progressive Review as a staff writer and then took over the editorship of the publication during his second semester at the University.

"At that point, the organization wasn't terribly strong," he said. "It needed a stronger structure and to get funding, which we did from a group called Campus Progress" — an arm of the Center for American Progress, a prominent liberal advocacy group.

Eventually, because Siddique did not want to compete with another campus publication, The Idealistic Nation, he decided to work towards merging the two. He and the editor of the Idealistic Nation, Michael Brown '06, brought the two together in what became known as the Princeton Progressive Nation (PPN).

"I think one of best parts about working with [Siddique] is that he is someone who is not only passionate about particular issues, but he is dedicated and hardworking enough to put that passion into action," Brown said. "It was a great opportunity when we merged our two publications."

As a coeditor of PPN, Siddique worked toward making the campus more aware of political issues. He was one of the key organizers for last year's three week-long filibuster protest and appeared on MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews."

While most peers would give Siddique the credit for organizing the filibuster, he insists that it was a joint effort.

"There was an opportunity to make a symbolic statement," he said. "It was the collective brainpower with people I was working with. It was not about any one person at all."

Siddique's peers on the PPN heaped praise on him, citing his ability to translate passion in action.

"He has a lot of guts, and I have to admire him for that," Eric Meng '07, a close friend and member of the PPN's editorial board, said. "He does what it takes to tell the truth."

"[Siddique]'s use of open and frank speech has allowed him to speak up no matter what the opposing views are," Peter Varela '08, a friend from his dormitory, said. "From the filibuster last spring to our daily conversations over dinner in Forbes, [Siddique] is not afraid to speak boldly and actively."

"This, I think, should translate itself to the greater Princeton community," Varela added.

As he steps down from the editorship of the PPN this semester, Siddique will focus more heavily on fundraising for the publication as well as writing again.

While Siddique does not know exactly what he wants to do after graduation, he does know that it will involve politics.

"I want to be part of the conversation," he said. "I don't know what that will ultimately be."

Related