I find it great that as my four years here at Lawrence come to a close, the two main political organizations on this campus, the College Democrats and College Republicans, are as active together as I have ever seen. The fact that College Democrat Week and College Republican Pride Week are occurring this week simultaneously, though without the foreknowledge of either group, is encouraging. Both groups are showing their pride and spirit through chalkings, speakers, and the lighting up of Main Hall green with hundreds of blue glowsticks this past Monday night. That was a sight I had never seen before.
The chalkings are what I am writing about however. The Democrats chalked all over Sunday night, with their “Think Blue” message, and themes advocating the Democratic Party. There was no negativity in any of their messages. Their chalking was a thing of pride, thinking towards the future. However, the Republicans just can’t let the past go. Most of their chalking was just fine. I didn’t even have a problem with the ribbings of campus about their parking stunt during the John Kerry visit on many of the driveways to parking lots around campus. That type of humor is tolerable. The one chalking that did get my ire was the one right by Sage Hall that said, “Bush won, and all you can do is whine,” in bright blue chalk. There’s one problem with that message: no one was whining. Bush won in 2004, its true, and guess what, we got over it. We’ve moved on. The College Democrats hosted Jamie Wall, a candidate for Congress in 2006, this past week. Yes, 2006. The Democrats are looking ahead, while the Republicans are looking back. If the Republicans really wanted to look back with pride, they at least could go back to Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt. So, to all the Republicans who think that all we are doing is sitting around and whining, please keep that attitude right up to the election in 2006. We’re looking ahead to it, and we’ll be ready, will you?
Guest editorial: Chalking it up to pride
