It is officially four months after the election, six weeks after President Bush?s inauguration, four weeks after the State of the Union address and still some campus residents have Kerry/Edwards placards in their windows.I know what you are thinking: “What sore losers! They can?t let go!” Your thoughts may be true; however, that is not how I feel about this situation. It may be sad, in a sense, but I encourage all likeminded people to do as I do: just smile.
Every time I see a Kerry sign, I just get this great sense of pride in knowing that the right man won the election. No question about it. When I pass by a “Kerry fora Stronger America” bumper sticker on the back of a car, I question that person?s idea of what a “stronger America” means to them. We must have differing views on the words “stronger” and “America.”
In my mind, “Global Test” defines neither of these words.
The reason for the continued presence of Kerry memorabilia in the public sphere could be explained as either denial or lingering opposition. If you are a person in denial of the election results, then wake up! Maybe you agree with Sen. Boxer?s contest against the results in Ohio. Yet, there was almost a 120,000 vote difference. So if that?s your excuse, I don?t buy it. Overall, you should realize that after a President is inaugurated, it?s over!
Lingering opposition is more difficult to explain since it?s an emotional reaction that I do not have against the president. Liberals are upset that Bush won, obviously, so they continue to display Kerry propaganda. I don?t think they understand that it doesn?t bother the 51 percent of the country that voted for Bush. He won re-election, so why should we care if people keep their signs up? I kind of enjoy it, actually. Three and a half million people are the difference between a Bush victory and a Kerry defeat. Just to give you some perspective, 3.5 million is the approximate number of total citizens in the state of Colorado.
It would be like every single person in Colorado voting for George W. Bush, and that?s every man, woman and child, not just registered voters. Another perspective would be that in both of President Clinton?s electoral victories, he never gained over 50 percent of the national vote. The highest was 49 percent in 1996, and Sen. Kerry only received 48 percent of the vote this past year.
I am certainly not requesting that anyone remove their political signs. I would not infringe on your freedom of speech, since I would not want you to infringe on mine. However, I do question your motives. Do you honestly think you are going to change anyone?s mind? Do you think you are upsetting people by keeping them up? I don?t think you are doing either. I understand that Bush supporters keep their signs posted because they are proud of their victory and accomplishment, but even I removed my bumper sticker after the Inauguration, and have since removed my window signs, too.
If Moveon.org is any indication, they only claimed Wisconsin as a victory, where Kerry only won by 11,000 votes. Let?s face the facts: most Democrats did not care for Kerry much anyway, so why enshrine him? You are just giving people like me something to laugh about.
Rick Loughery is a junior majoring in political science.