Boos for Kerry cloud a sparkling experience / by 18 yr. old Bush supporter

[SmileMaker]

I found this article by a very thoughtful, yet possibly blindly faithful, young person. There is space for responses at the end of the article. I left a polite one. Maybe some of you might want to do so as well. I think that it's an opportunity to us to set the record straight and possibly steer a smart, faithful young person in the right direction (as opposed to the radical right direction).

Fri, Jan 21, 2005

Boos for Kerry cloud a sparkling experience

By Joy Pavelski
For the Journal


WASHINGTON, D.C. - How does one distill a morning spent within smiling distance of the most powerful people in America, attending the inauguration of the president of the free world?
The morning opened crisp and clear like a glass of ice water. I watched the sun rise as I walked to the Metro station with my friends, buzzing warm from a cappuccino despite the moist chill of 7 a.m. D.C. air. Everything seemed bright and peaceful, glistening in the newness of the previous night's snowfall not yet blackened by city traffic. It was the polar opposite of how I (and my Mom to a greater extent) had envisioned a tense morning full of protests and a veritable standing army of security forces.
On arriving at the Capitol and passing through a security check, my friends and I went to our respective ticketed areas. I had an excellent vantage point within 300 feet of the platform, compliments of a ticket from Congressman Dave Obey's office. As we waited for the inauguration ceremony to begin, we were serenaded with patriotic marches and anthems by several military bands, a choir and singers. Then the dignitaries were announced as they arrived. The inauguration organizers, House representatives, senators, Supreme Court justices, U.S. ambassadors and their families all came in to music and cheers from the growing crowd.
One incident, however, darkened the otherwise sterling day.
When Sen. John Kerry, President Bush's opponent in the last election, came in, some in the crowd booed. I was appalled. Although I am delighted to have George W. Bush as president for a second term, it is unsportsmanlike to spurn your opponent whether you have won or lost. The unprecedented election mudslinging was troubling enough in the last election; there is no need to continue the animosity further.
That President Bush and the organizers of the inauguration feel the same sentiments was apparent in the speeches and songs given throughout the ceremony. They spoke of healing, unity and rising up again as "one nation under God, indivisible," quoting that phrase from our Pledge of Allegiance at least four times during the ceremony. And indeed, it is true that Americans are in need of a season of gentleness and refuge in the cultural ground zero of terrorist attacks, natural disasters, public scandal, and partisan bickering in our homes and in the halls of government.
America always responds in unity and compassion to large crises when they arise, yet we have much more difficulty responding in the same spirit with problems that have crept in and now marble our society's foundation. Perhaps it is like the old story of the frog who did not jump out of a pot of boiling water because the water temperature had been warmed so slowly that he did not notice the heat until it became his executioner.

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http://www.wisinfo.com/journal/spjlocal/310528125969160.shtml

[Sandpiper]

1. President of the Free World?

That's really how the wingnuts view the world isn't it?

All of the other free countries in the world are just fiefdoms of the United States.

[asjr]

2. He obviously has not learned that Republicans are just

naturally mean.

[Old and In the Way]

3. Ah , to be young and naive........................nt

[JI7]

4. expose this person to more truth and they will turn against the GOP

the person seems to have the view of the President that most kids learn in grade school. they probably don't read up on the news that much to know what is really going on. but they do seem to have a certain sense of knowing when things are right or wrong.

another thing that happened was Kerry would talk to the young people , some high school girls who were in attendence and ask them who they voted for and other things. they said they weren't old enough to vote in the past election but supported Bush. and Kerry said they will soon convert. it seems most of the young ones (naive and uninformed) seemed to like Kerry while the older wealthy ones were the ones booing him.

Kerry got over 60 percent of the voters under 30. i think if Democrats start reaching out to high school kids during the next 4 years it can help us in the 2006 and especially 2008 elections.

[opihimoimoi]

5. The young ones will soon learn of their FATE...DRAFT...by then, TOO LATE

Let them eat shit.