The Bigger Picture

I like it when I see the faculty realize there are bigger things in life other than a classroom lecture, things bigger than ourselves, things that are true moments in history. My professor knew we were exhausted from Election Day. Many of us worked the polls, protected voter rights, or assisted the great election machine in other ways. He knew that we had stayed up late to watch the results come in, or not come in as the case ended up being again for the Presidential race. Senator Kerry’s concession speech was scheduled for around 1pm. To have a scheduled moment in history is a rare treat. To watch in person a concluding chapter in one of the tightest elections in history is one of those big moments that we as students should observe. He cancelled class so we could go downstairs to the TV in the lounge.

Unfortunately Senator Kerry postponed his speech to 2pm. Frustrated by the wasted nature of the professor’s gesture I resigned myself to attend the 2:10 class and miss history. However the second professor in my second class asked if we wanted to watch history. We put a laptop on the podium, put the streaming video on full screen, and shoved the podium microphone towards the laptop speakers. For ten minutes, we as a class watched something bigger than a lecture. We watched history being made. An hour later we watched President Bush give his victory speech via the miracle of high speed internet access.

This student body has been very supportive of their respective candidates. For the most part we have also been respectful of each other despite differences in political leanings. I am heartened by the fact that we seemed to handle the divisiveness of this election cycle far better than the general public and numerous politicians, despite the passions of our political hearts.

Both candidates had a theme in their respective speeches; a theme of unity despite our differences.

"But in an American election, there are no losers, because whether or not our candidates are successful, the next morning we all wake up as Americans. And that -- that is the greatest privilege and the most remarkable good fortune that can come to us on earth.

With that gift also comes obligation. We are required now to work together for the good of our country. In the days ahead, we must find common cause. We must join in common effort without remorse or recrimination, without anger or rancor. America is in need of unity and longing for a larger measure of compassion."
Senator John Kerry

"Reaching these goals will require the broad support of Americans. So today I want to speak to every person who voted for my opponent: To make this nation stronger and better I will need your support, and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust. A new term is a new opportunity to reach out to the whole nation. We have one country, one Constitution and one future that binds us."
President George W. Bush

I hope that we as a school take these words to heart. We have a special ability due to our education and experience. We are the vanguards of social change and attitude and we have the ability to set an example to the outside world. It is my dream that after this bitter contest that we lay down our arms and realize that we are Americans first, and affiliated with a political party second. I hope we can let out the emotions of the past few months, and then realize that what unites us is greater than what divides us. I hope you can share that dream with others.