Four more years.
The mood around campus post-election was a stark contrast to the collective happiness enjoyed just a week before when the Red Sox won the World Series. Massachusetts had suffered a defeat and this one spread out over New England as well.
It’s very disappointing to young people, many who, especially in the Northeast, voted for Kerry. This whole MTV, Vote or Die, 20 million loud campaign, while claiming to be bi-partisan, we all know was not. Many felt almost certain those 20 million young people would do as many young people normally do: vote liberal.
Jokes about moving to Canada or Australia wafted through the air when some decided the next four years would be strikingly similar to the last four and the issues we spent educating ourselves on would not change.
This wave of hatred for our “new” president came over many like a blanket. It may sound dramatic, but it was. You cannot just forget everything you have learned about a person in one day.
George W. Bush said in his acceptance speech he is “humbled by the trust and the confidence of [his] fellow citizens.” Later, he addressed those who voted for his opponent, saying he will work to deserve the trust of society. Bush said, “When we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America.”
If Bush is serious about reaching out to the almost half of Americans that did not vote for him, he has got a lot of work to do on the Northeastern campus.
That is not to say we are all Democrats here. Looking at The News’ online opinion poll, 60 percent of 415 voters said they were happy with the outcome of the election.
No matter which candidate received your vote, being educated on the issues should not be something reserved only for election time. And local issues are just as important as national ones. We have The Boston Globe for free on campus, read it.
Your president decides when and where we go to war, and has a hand in deciding a woman’s right to choose. He, and maybe one day she, decides how much money is funded for schools. Now that the power has been voted in, would you not like to remain informed when the next chance to make the decision arises?
College students can make their voices heard by speaking out. Just like chants of “Yankees suck” do nothing to change the past or the future of Boston sports, neither will huffing and puffing and scowling about Bush with no action.
Bush will never again run for president of this country, so there is nothing you can do about it.
But next time you can. So be prepared.
