¡Viva la Quesadilla!: Campus Community in Protest

By Maelina Frattaroli

“We the undersigned are united under the common principle that Ike’s Hacienda must return. Too long has it been since the true flavor of the quesadilla has graced our beloved Gettysburg College Campus. We propose that Ike’s Fabulous Subs be changed back to its former glorious entity of Ike’s Hacienda,” wrote Paul Accomando, ’08, in his recent petition for the restoration of the former Ike’s. This past Thursday, November 17th from 11:30 to 1:30 PM , Accomando, along with several students of various academic years, congregated on the lawn right outside the Bullet Hole entrance, with a craving in their stomachs and nostalgia in their eyes for the Ike’s of yesteryear.

Accomando, clad in a Mexican serape and sombrero, raised his big, blue eyes out to the sky, and hollered in unison with the crowd of protestors, “¡Viva la quesadilla! These subs are sub-par! There’s nothing wrong with choice!” The near-freezing, hand-chapping, face-numbing wind was no match for the determined protestors. Their hands, clutching petition and pen, remained ungloved as they beckoned to all ravenous passerbies about to enter the place from which the blessed variety of foodstuffs had been expunged.

Paul Accomando urging supporters like Professor Stern to sign the petition.

Among the several participants, there was an intellectual range of argument against the establishment of Ike’s Fabulous Subs in place of Ike’s Hacienda. There were those that upheld a more statistical stance on the matter. Tanya Dunsey, ’07, reasoned, “The College has restricted our choice for food options. If they want to stay in the top twenty-five for dining, this will not do. So, we’re really doing them a favor if you think about it.” Then, there were those with insightful, historical perspectives such as Rob Schatz, ’07, who exclaimed, “What would Ike do? What would Ike Eisenhower do? He would bring back the quesadillas is what he would do! He would get rid of [these] sub-par [subs]!”

Rob Shatz, Jason Endres, and Paul Accomando holding signs and gettting signatures for a petition to bring back Ike’s

Aside from statistical and historical standpoints on Ike’s new flavor, there were protestors who passionately reminisced about the Hacienda. As Scott Scheier, ’06, voiced, “Quesadillas are a taste sensation!” Furthermore, Accomando himself decided to voice his longing for the quesadilla from a linguistic perspective, “¡Dame más quesadillas!” meaning give me more quesadillas, respectively. Protestors and supporters of the protest alike remained steadfast in their proposal and pleas for Ike’s Hacienda over the course of the two-hour primetime.

During those two hours, Accomando and his fellow protestors collected an astronomical 349 signatures for the petition. The signatures showed a large variation in class year and gender. Also, a significant amount of faculty and staff did not hesitate to support the students in their campaign for the delectable Ike’s that once was.

Accomando gaining more support from Professor Yager

The protestors’ intentions are far from causing controversy on campus. As Jason Endres, ’06, assured, “We are doing this for the public good. It is time for students and faculty alike to band together as a community to make change. As a community, we can make a difference.” When Accomando himself was asked about his stance on the protest and his aspirations for the future of Ike’s, he maintained in all seriousness, “ The protest was held because of a need for a greater quantity of food options on campus. We have faith that the quesadilla will return in full force. God is with us.” It is only a matter of time before the fate of the quesadilla, an apparent necessary staple in the appetite of a college student, is revealed. The Gettysburg College community anticipates the return of Ike’s Hacienda with fortitude and ravenousness.