Letters to the Editor

As a Luther College Republican, I know I am in the minority. I’m not disputing that fact whatsoever. I knew that this was one of the most liberal colleges when I made the decision to come here and also when I recently joined the Luther College Republicans student group. What I didn’t know is that, as a Luther College Republican, I would be discriminated against for my beliefs because they didn’t conform to the beliefs of the majority of students at this college.

I was recently having a casual chat with a friend outside of my dorm room, and it just so happened that we were both holding McCain-Palin signs, seeing as we were just returning from our weekly Luther College Republicans meeting. A girl that neither of us knew walked past with a friendly smile and headed up the stairs. She then proceeded to walk back down the stairs to confront us with a frown and a pitying groan. No actual words were said, and my friend and I were left speechless as she walked away once again. If I were to have the same reaction every time I saw an Obama sign my face would be stuck in a permanent frown!

The right to free speech and expression is something that all of us learn about on a daily basis in all of our classes. If I want to display a McCain-Palin sign, I have every right to do so and deserve no persecution for it! The fact that I am apprehensive to tell my friends where I’m going on Thursday nights at 9 pm (to the Luther College Republicans meeting) or to apply a McCain-Palin bumper sticker to my car for fear of vandalism (the same goes for signs on my dorm room door) is downright ridiculous! I know that most of you doubt that something as obscene as vandalism would occur if I were to apply these signs to my car or door, and I used to think that, too. But never in a million years would I have imagined that somebody would go so far as to belittle me for my beliefs. I feel that my fears are far from ludicrous.

I would argue that this discrimination is comparable to racism or homophobia, two things that Democrats most definitely take a strong stance AGAINST and are things that I disagree with as well. I respect Democrats and listen to what they have to say, but I expect them to have the same respect for me. Is that too much to ask?

-Katie Jenkins (‘09)

Why I didn’t vote on November 7th:

Today I saw a line in the Union for people to go vote. I had intended to join that line after my test, but this morning things changed. My apprehension about early voting already held me back, but the final straw placed on the proverbial camel’s back was when I noted doorknob pamphlets on every single door in my cluster. Every one of them specifically supported Barack Obama.

My initial hesitation was because absentee ballots (the method of choice for early voting in Iowa) are not treated as regular votes. They are set aside until election day, and only opened if the margin in the state seems to be close enough that they might tip the scale. Last election, someone I know became irate because he had been disenfranchised by this process. I would be angry too. I don’t even care if the margin was 99 to 1, and if every absentee voted for that 1 to bring it to 97 to 3. I don’t care, because at least their votes would have counted.

The Obama issue is a matter of fairness and responsibility. For the last few days, I have seen in the Union campaigners in “Luther Students for Obama” shirts, running around trying to convince people to vote. Not once have I seen a red shirt, or a concentration of Republicans or “third party” members pushing their own candidate. In fact, the only comment I’ve heard from a Republican was to scoff at our “liberal campus,” a complaint without subsequent action. The problem isn’t that there are so many blue shirts, it’s the lack of red (or green, etc). It does no good to sit and ponder why you went to a liberal college, just get out and support your side. This early voting day was allegedly the product of both Luther Dems and Luther Republicans, so why don’t I see them?

What really matters is that Americans get out and vote...period. I don’t care that some of my friends will vote for “the other guy,” I will still encourage them to vote. That’s what representative democracy is about. All the people running around saying “Vote Obama!” ought to cut the last word, otherwise they’ll end up annoying people into voting for McCain.

For the record, I support Barack Obama for president.

-Alex Wyatt (‘09)