I voted for Bush. That’s probably the hardest and most scandalous thing to admit here at Wesleyan, but it’s time for me to come out of the closet, and I hope that the tolerant, open-minded community that we have here is able to accept that.
I grew up in a very conservative Christian family, and have been surrounded by fellow Christians all of my life. Many of them have some pretty bizarre political views I will admit, but that’s not true for all of us. For instance, I don’t believe that “all homosexuals go to hell,” and I don’t believe that abortion is never morally acceptable. After being here at Wesleyan for a year and a half, I find some of their views pretty ridiculous, but I respect them and I know where they’re coming from. I am lucky to have been exposed to both the extremely conservative and extremely liberal views that people have. I’ve analyzed both sides and developed firm beliefs of my own. Some of my beliefs are more on the side of Democrats, and others are on the side of Republicans, making me one of the rare moderates on this campus. But it bothers me how intolerant this campus is for those people who voted for Bush. Sure, some conservatives are complete idiots, but some liberals are too, and many of the people who voted for Bush are not ignorant. We just see things differently than those who voted for Kerry.
I believe in freedom of speech. I hate censorship. I appreciate the fact that so many people here on campus put up pro-Kerry or anti-Bush signs. There’s nothing wrong with that. I even appreciate the chalkings that I disagree with, but some of them are a bit over the top. A few days ago, I saw a chalking that said, “Religion stole my freedom.” I understand that many people believe that Bush isn’t keeping church and state separate, but things need to be put in perspective. America is still a free country, and it’s still the greatest country in the world. If you don’t like it, you have the freedom to leave. While you’re gone, visit countries like Cuba or Haiti. I’ve heard a lot of people here complaining about how awful the next four years are going to be, and I’ve dealt with a lot of harsh comments since Bush got reelected. But I think everyone needs to count their blessings and thank God that we’re at a great college in a country where we can protest and publicly disagree with the government without being killed. Personally, I hope that John McCain runs for President in four years, but this country needs to unite before then.
I’ve made friends with plenty of hardcore liberals, and once they get to know me they see that I am not an ignorant, homophobic fundamentalist who is against minorities and women’s rights. I can have an intelligent, civil discussion with someone I don’t agree with. In the past, these discussions have helped me to see things a little bit differently and modify my views, but more often than not I will agree to disagree and respect the other person’s opinion. It’s great when we find a way to compromise on an issue, but the next best thing is respecting the opposite point of view. We all need to do that. And to whoever has been ripping down the mildly pro-Bush signs on my door, please remember that I am not going around campus tearing down signs or erasing chalkings that I disagree with. All people in the United States have freedom of speech, even if you don’t agree with what they have to say, and even if they voted for Bush!
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