ISU Bengal

Issue date: 11/14/07 Section: Opinion

The last time there was a presidential election in 2004 there was little to no perceivable excitement on campus as far as I recall. For that matter, in the city of Chubbuck where I live, voter turnout this past week was worse than student government elections on our campus. Not only does this point to the vast epidemic of political and general apathy that students as well as common citizens suffer from in the United States, but it is also a real social problem.

The alarming part is the question that must be asked, if no body cares, then what kind of people are running (or will be running) this country? When American Idol voter turn out rivals that of a presidential election, you wonder if we are not participating in ushering in our own proverbial Sanjaya for president. With that said, many of you may have noticed that some students are not quite ready to surrender their political efficacy.

You have possible seen signs around campus that read, "who is Ron Paul," "google Ron Paul," or simply "Vote Ron Paul 2008."

Before we start talking about how great I think it is that students are actually taking political action a year before an election, I will try and answer the, "who is Ron Paul" question as to provide context to the reader.

Ron Paul is a congressman from Texas, and he is also one of the Republican candidates bidding for the presidential nomination. Ron Paul however, is no ordinary Republican. Amongst other things he is anti war, supports reinstating gold standard money, seeks to eliminate government waste and wants to abolish the IRS. While I don't agree with all of Paul's views, I am very happy to see a candidate that is not a flip flopping, crowd pleasing, tongue-in-cheek politician. It is good to see someone of actual solid character running for president.

Whether you agree with Paul's politics or not, its good to see a candidate that has always been as Shakespeare puts it, "true to thine own self." I get so sick of candidates taking the moral high ground while their records reflect nothing but questionable money scandals, convenience-based opinions, and personal lives that are completely devoid of any "moral values." If you like him or not, Paul has always been a consistent politician and human being. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why so many people are excited by his message.

Last quarter, Ron Paul was the third highest fundraiser for Republican candidates. Not only is he good at generating support, but he also does this while not accepting any corporate donations, which isanother value that you will be hard pressed to find with other candidates.

It seems Paul's message is so different from his peers that it is acting as a breath of fresh air for the average citizen, soldier, and student.

Back to the student, I think its awesome that students at our school are taking the time out of their lives to pay more than just lip service to a political candidate they can believe in. It's not just useless wink-wink party politics either. I mean, how easy is it to pick the front runner, Hilary Clinton or Rudy Giuliani, in your respective party and pay them tribute when asked who you like without any real investigation into either of their questionable and inconsistent political pasts?

Or better yet, how easy and lazy is it just to complain? Even organized complaining seems to be a favorite for some people. I just don't see a lot of real progress happening as a result of protest with no solutions or real intellectual debate.

Somehow I just get a much more genuine feeling from Ron Paul enthusiasts, a feeling that people are hearing his message and acting on it rather than just marching along the drone laden lines of popularity. It takes a lot of faith in one's message when all your putting on your sign as you stand on a street corner is "google Ron Paul." These people actually believe that Paul has a message that is so special and so unique that the individual will be able to hear the music and understand with a little exposure to the right tune.

While Ron Paul is quickly written off by the vast majority of political commentators as not having a chance to gain the Republican nomination, his influence may spark a new generation of political activists in the youth of our country. I respect any well thought out political philosophy and I commend anyone, no matter what your party or views, who takes the time to look into the future of the country and try and make a difference as one citizen.

So what can we do as students and citizens of the United States of America?

To start with, understand your political views. What do you believe? I find that devout Democrats and Republicans alike often times have no real concept of the philosophical backbone to conservative or liberal thought. Understand how your religion, friends, family, charity, common sense and overall perspective fit into the blanket idea of your political views.

Furthermore act, take action, become a political activist in some sense. I am not saying you need to get your old picket line shoes out of the closet. Just take some action, whatever it may be. Donate money to a political candidate you can trust, become active in the political party of your choice, refine your views and share them with others, wear a t-shirt, pass out a tract, sport a button. The list goes on and on.

Overall, I am comforted to see that there are students on our campus backing specific political ideals and candidates. Personally, I am far from perfect in my civic duty, refinement of political views and activism, but its students like these that inspire me and keep me seeking a more perfect political truth. I truly hope that students will find not only success but experience a truly rewarding practice in their political endeavors.

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