I would like to make some general statements on the problem of political parties and the problem that those parties, or associations more generally, solve. Not to beat the issue with a meat hammer, but I believe some observations from the "Meatless Monday" episode deserve some reflection. I was talking with one of my closest friends about "Meatless Monday," and something she said gave me an unsettling feeling. She did not really care too much about the issue until she found out it was backed by the Bowdoin College Democrats, and that made her furious: "Just another attempt for them to shove another one of their causes down our throats." The issue was made much more controversial than it had to be just because a political group had its stamp on it. And party platforms make us angry! Why is this?