Werd Play

Forget Joe Six-Pack; meet Jihadist Joe

RyanWerder — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 16:27:55 EST

The House debate on Iraq reached a new low - and the ever-running contest for stupidest floor speech reached a new high - when Congressman Phil Gingrey (R-GA) closed off his comments with this little gem yesterday:

"Make no mistake about this, what we are doing with this resolution is not a salute to G.I. Joe, it's a capitulation to Jihadist Joe."

As grateful as Hasbro may be for the great new toy line idea, Gingrey's little word play is hardly original. One entrepreneur offers an entire Jihad Joe product line. Others have produced some videos starring Jihadist Joe. Check out the products, check out the videos, and see the company in which Gingrey has so vocally placed himself.

Big News from Michigan on affirmative action

RyanWerder — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:25:13 EST

Earlier today, a federal judge ruled that the University of Michigan, Michigan State, and Wayne State University will all be allowed to continue to practice affirmative action for the duration of the current admission cycle.

Mary Sue Coleman has argued since her controversial speech on November 8th that the University must not cease all affirmative action in the midst of the admissions process. Today that sentiment was upheld through a compromise between radical pro-affirmative action group By Any Means Necessary, the state of Michigan, and the three Universities. Governor Granholm (D) was also listed as a defendant.

This is big news and a major victory for the proponents of affirmative action. Though the University of Michigan is regrettably not taking any further legal action at this point, at least the incoming class of freshman will be a diverse group.

One of the greatest aspects of attending school here in Ann Arbor is the diversity. I'm thrilled to know that the entire campus will still have one more year of it. I'm devastated, though, to know that the class of 2011 may be the end of the diversity which is so important to me and the tens of thousands of other students at Michigan.

Big Victories and a Big Loss in Michigan

RyanWerder — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 18:18:53 EST

Today is a day of bipolar emotions for Michigan progressives. The good news is of the variety that is evident all over CNN's souped-up election ticker: Gov. Granholm won reelection after defeating her opponent who dropped $35 million of his own money on the race. Also, Senator Debbie Stabenow ran away with victory over her opponent early on in the night. These are two wonderful women who have done - and will continue to do - great things for this state.

In far more somber, and possibly even more impactful news, Prop 2 - the "michigan civil rights initiative" which would ban affirmative action - passed with 58% of the vote last night. As Madhu explains in her article posted last week, the effects of this proposition are absolutely devastating.

But today, I was reminded why it's great to be a Michigan Wolverine...

My Campus, the Metaphor

RyanWerder — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 10:52:28 EDT

For an hour on Wednesday, The Diag - Michigan's large brick plaza in the center of campus - was transformed into a swarming metaphor for America's progressive movement.

It had everything: LGBT activists arguing and protesting an uber-conservative preacher handing out tickets to Hell; students giving speeches on freeing Palestine and leaving Iraq; organizers rallying their communities to speak out against a xenophobic "catch an illegal immigrant day;" Democrats and non-partisans out registering voters. Basically, the only free space was the inlaid brass "M" in the center of the Diag which guarantees failed Blue Book exams if stepped on.

The other activity present in abundance was chaos. The time between noon and one o'clock was supposed to be a unifying rally for all interested groups on campus to come and make a powerful statement that racist events such as "catch an illegal immigrant day" are not welcome on our campus. T-shirts were made, state-wide press was called in, and student groups arrived en masse. As they arrived, however, they were greeted with a complete frenzy of activity with a healthy dose of rain to make things even more muddled.

Apparently, the unity rally coincided with the middle-eastern solidarity rally. The group there to protest xenophobia on campus had the numbers and the press. The middle-eastern students speaking out for Lebanon, Palestine, and Iraq had the noise permit and sound equipment. Meanwhile, the preacher was still preaching, the voters were still registering, and the unaffiliated students squeezing through the Diag were being bombarded by what could only, at times, have sounded like, "doyouwanttoregister? Haveyouheardaboutimmigration? Freepalestine? Homosaregoingtohell!"

Ideally, these groups could have all coexisted in an organized way on the Diag. The immigrant activists could have put on their event with the press and students they brought together after the middle-eastern students spoke. The students shouting down the hate-spewing preacher could have toned it down during the middle-eastern speeches. Instead, everything was rolled into one massive blob of activism.

The speakers for the middle-eastern student organizations spoke powerfully and dramatically about the issues affecting their friends and families from behind a massive banner proclaiming "We Stand In Solidarity With Iraq Palestine Lebanon!" Fifteen minutes later, the organizers of the immigration-focused rally were speaking behind the same banner trying desperately to explain how the two events flowed were related to each other rather than speaking on the issue of American immigration itself.

The mistakes arose when "cause" was sacrificed for a broader ideal of "activism." Each event for that hour had very distinct messages regardless of how valiantly connections were linguistically attempted. Each event catered to generally disparate constituencies. By pulling together everyone into everything, no one was entirely satisfied and anyone could be confused.

It's true that the progressive movement has many bridges built between its distinct parts. We aren't ever truly splintered or isolated. We have activists throughout the camp who can be at each other's throats one day and leading a rally together the next. The challenge is to find the connections that work, and leverage those alliances while being careful not to walk across an ideological canyon without a bridge.

The Diag today was a microcosm of how things can go wrong and where only a little tweaking would have made the efforts exponentially better. Progressives could have owned The Diag today. Instead, we only made a mess.

Forgive me Mr. Secretary!

RyanWerder — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 11:49:50 EDT

Yesterday, Secretary Rumsfeld made a point I wish he would have made clear looooong ago: I'm appeasing fascists!

I had no idea! Here I am, writing and talking about the Iraq War, of the mindset that we're going about the whole thing all wrong and what have I really been accomplishing? Giving aid and succor to Hitler's ideological descendants.

I feel awful. I really do. Had I only known that I was repeating the mistakes of pre-Churchill England I would have shut up years earlier. Let me try to elaborate on where I made my ideological misstep and stumbled into the blood-soaked land of terrorist-appeaserville.

See, I believed that some opposing views (correct views in my then-veiled eyes) would be helpful to the national debate; that keeping my mouth shut would be unpatriotic. Boy... that I could've thought that. I'm so ashamed. Why didn't anyone gag me with a red, white, and blue handkerchief? Are you all appeasers too?!

I did a quick LexisNexis search for appeasing terrorists to see if anyone else was as misguided as I was. What I found only led to me to hang my head lower: no one seemed to have ever said that they want to appease the terrorists! Not the Democrats, not the liberals, not the conservatives. Sure, the Dems and liberals made criticisms - which I now know amount to the same thing - but until Rumsfeld pointed that fact out, I was oblivious. Forgive me Mr. Secretary. I hope my appeasing didn't encourage any terrorist who was kind of on the fence in terms of wreaking some terror to go ahead and do so. Lord knows it couldn't have been one of your bombs which blew up his village. Forgive me as well Ms. J.K. Rowling. I once said I didn't like the second Harry Potter book as much as the first. I didn't mean to appease Lord Voldemort either.

AIM Conversation with Future Israeli Army American

RyanWerder — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 15:36:59 EDT

This is a conversation between me and close friend Brett not more than an hour old. After we finished chatting I thought it would be a good thing to share. He agreed. Some quick background: Brett studied abroad in Israel last semester and is currently working at a Jewish summer camp where he is working with a number of Israelis who are either enlisted, are soon to be enlisted, or have already completed service in the Israeli Army (IDF).

None of this conversation has been edited other than two words where he misspoke "day" for "week" and our screen names. I hope you enjoy this unique perspective by a college student devoted to immigrating to Israel:

(14:05:25) ME: as a student interested in joining the IDF, would you feel you were doing the right thing, and be prepared to give your life, for this operation?
(14:07:01) BRETT: yesterday i froze for about 5 minutes when i was listening to CNN and heard about a "Lone Soldier" (this is what israelis call jews who come over to serve in the IDF) who was killed in an operation
(14:07:08) BRETT: in southern lebenon
(14:07:24) BRETT: i've always said this about joinging the military i dont want, im scared as shit
(14:07:27) BRETT: of doing so
(14:07:40) BRETT: but i have no choice
(14:07:53) BRETT: about feeling comfertable
(14:08:01) BRETT: about if i was doing the right thing, yes
(14:08:28) ME: but you'd still go? You'd sign up for the IDF today if you could?
(14:09:03) BRETT: because, israel has the right to defend their country, any country in the world, would attack an area if people from that area kidnapped soldiers from your country and were shooting 1200 rockets a [week] over the border
(14:09:12) BRETT: its hard to fathom that, 1200 rockets a [week]
(14:09:41) BRETT: like i said i agree with the invasion of southern lebanon
(14:10:15) ME: so you would willingly go? You would be a "Lone Soldier"?
(14:10:43) BRETT: yes, u know i would be
(14:11:06) ME: I admire your devotion.
(14:12:42) BRETT: the invasion of southern lebanon is something israel wants todo, to hold more territory. like i said when israel held it for almost 20 years it was like their veitnam, israelius would come home every week in body bags from lebanon trying to hold a sevurity zone
(14:12:55) BRETT: i meant something israel doesn't want to do
(14:13:21) BRETT: they want to stop rockets falling on their homes
(14:13:49) ME: have you talked to any of your Israeli friends recently?
(14:13:58) BRETT: and the only way to stop that is by taking over an area of southern lebenon and pushing or killing al the hizbollah in that region out
(14:14:02) BRETT: yeah
(14:14:08) BRETT: including most the ones at camp
(14:14:12) ME: What do they think about what's going on?
(14:14:38) BRETT: there scared shitless, they all have friends who have been called up in the reserves or are currently in the army
(14:15:15) BRETT: but even those who support, the left wing parties (like labor and meretz) i have talked to support the need to make a security buffer
(14:15:48) BRETT: yes, many of them (and as jews always do best) question some of the tactics, most notebly whats going on in bombing beirut
(14:16:07) BRETT: but anyone who has been up near the lebanese border knows how scary it is
(14:16:32) BRETT: right before i came home in may i was on a kibbutz right on the border
(14:16:50) BRETT: from the kibbutz you could see a military base right on the border
(14:17:09) BRETT: and then no more the a football field away they pointed out hizbollah bunkers to us
(14:17:27) BRETT: they said everyday hizbollah soldiers would fire their guns at them
(14:17:35) ME: would they ever fire back?
(14:17:40) BRETT: these bullets would land in the kibbutz
(14:18:18) BRETT: the kibbutz purposely puts their day care on the farthest part away from the border
(14:18:36) BRETT: that kibbutz is completely abandonded right now
(14:18:59) BRETT: emily who is on a kibbutz next to haifa right now
(14:19:16) BRETT: this is a good 45min drive to the lebanese border
(14:19:25) BRETT: said several times, the sirens have gone off on her kibbutz
(14:19:48) BRETT: missles have hit within in a few hundred yards of her kibbutz
(14:19:59) ME: What is she doing now? Is she staying there?
(14:20:21) BRETT: that means a huge region from the border down to haifa and even further south is at risk and scared
(14:20:29) BRETT: she is working on kibbutz dalia as a volunteer
(14:20:52) BRETT: she has been there since june 20, when the hostilities started many of the volunteers left, she has stayed the entire time
(14:21:05) BRETT: she has had to go to the bomb shelters a few times she said
(14:21:29) ME: Is everyone you know okay so far?
(14:21:29) BRETT: back to the do they ever fire back question, yes but almost only when they feel threatened
(14:22:14) BRETT: it is suppose to be the UN peacekeeper jobs to make sure they were not firing and actually make sure they werent even their
(14:22:18) BRETT: but that completely failed
(14:22:39) BRETT: (which is why israel doesnt want the UN to take over the land again when they leave)
(14:22:45) ME: Do you have other friends who are still interested in joining the IDF even with all the madness going on now?
(14:23:23) BRETT: all of my friends who are planning on making aliyah, have had the same response as me
(14:23:34) BRETT: they aren't going to change their plans because of this
(14:23:54) BRETT: Jomi Kramer i believe had a flight yesterday
(14:24:02) ME: has anything in your plans changed? Want to go sooner, later? Did Jomi go?
(14:24:16) BRETT: she made aliyah yesterday, in the heart of the hostilities
(14:24:34) BRETT: it was the date she was suppose to go and had no plans on changing it
(14:24:44) BRETT: i still plan on doing it in a year
(14:24:47) BRETT: i want to do it now
(14:24:56) BRETT: i wanted to do it last year
(14:25:01) ME: If you could go today, would you?
(14:25:07) BRETT: yes
(14:25:16) ME: and go across the border?
(14:25:26) BRETT: not because of the situation and the fact that israel needs me now more then ever
(14:25:29) BRETT: i do feel that way
(14:25:38) BRETT: but i would today because I wanted to a year ago
(14:25:48) BRETT: and want to as soon as i can because i want to be in israel
(14:26:03) BRETT: if i was ordered to go across the border i would
(14:26:13) BRETT: its my duty as an IDF soldier
(14:26:28) BRETT: i told u im scared shitless of joining the army and fighting
(14:26:39) BRETT: but i dont have a choice, just like any israeli doesnt have a choice
(14:27:32) ME: The responsibilites of a "Lone Soldier" are the same as those of any other?
(14:27:43) BRETT: yeah
(14:28:07) BRETT: if you choose to make aliyah, or just to come join the army, you arent treated any different
(14:28:27) ME: Do the soldiers you're working with wish they could be back there now?
(14:28:37) BRETT: a lot do
(14:28:43) BRETT: because they want to be in israel
(14:28:52) BRETT: some of them know they are going to be called up
(14:29:08) BRETT: they feel the need to be in the country right now
(14:29:15) BRETT: even those who dont live in the north
(14:30:23) BRETT: one of the chalutzim counselors is going back and immediatly going to work for his congregation (he is a member of a reform/progressive shul in israel) who is hosting several hundred children from the north who are being sheltered right now in jerusalem (thats where his temple is)
(14:30:46) BRETT: there is hundreds and thousands of others in tel aviv, beer sheva, the negev, etc
(14:31:44) BRETT: do u have any other major questions
(14:31:54) BRETT: i need to shower and get some lunch
(14:32:00) BRETT: and eventually head back to camp
(14:32:13) BRETT: i really want to make this a discussion
(14:32:21) BRETT: i find out your views about it
(14:32:23) ME: sounds good. Thanks Brett.

Everyone's Favorite Demographic Gives Bush 20 Percent

RyanWerder — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 13:22:37 EDT

In even more proof that wisdom doesn't require old age, a new Bloomberg/LA Times poll found that Bush's approval rating is at 20% for young adults between 18 and 24.

The reasons for this appear to be many, but topping the charts with a longevity which would make "promiscuous girl" jealous, is the Iraq War. The article notes that many of those polled feel that it is our generation which will be sacrificed to the Iraqi sandtrap. Other reasons include basically everything Bush has pitched to his base as red meat: social "security", health "care", marriage "penalty", and "ownership" society, have all backfired on him.

For some even more good news, it seems our younger siblings are just as sage as we are: Bush's approval rating for 12 to 17 year-olds is 21%.

I Really Hate the Situation Room

RyanWerder — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 18:10:25 EDT

That's right, Wolf. I hate your little flat-screen paneled playpen you call a "news room." CNN's Situation Room is the closest thing that mainstream news media has to the WWF. Wolf Blitzer is the equivalent to The Rock; a superstar who can throw mean punches yet still never make contact with a single informative piece of information.

Oh, I rue that day when technology allowed for flat screen TVs to be pushed together to form even larger flat screen TVs; frankly, it's the basis of the whole damn show. Everything is shown as if a TV studio from 2078 dropped out of a time warp on Wolf's rock hard hair. CNN has bought into the Fox Football Coverage mentality: soup up the graphics enough and everyone will be so dazzled that they won't care anymore that the game - or in the Situation Room's case, world events - sucks. Everybody will instead simply stare transfixed at the fact that the beautiful weather lady can place the logo of a sun on a digitized map with the mere tip of her $300 nails.

The Situation Room is to news what Tucker Carlson's bowtie is to formalwear: a pathetic farce. Let me relate a few of my favorite Situation Room moments from the past week as well as what's on right now: My favorite (in that I-really-can't-believe-their-actually-doing-that kind of way) was when the digital wizards in that bastion of over-production created an image of a simulated missile which cruised over Lebanon (in the form of Google Maps) and then exploded into a blurry red and orange pixilated mockery of real carnage.

For a more continuous form of unnecessary idiocy, keep your eyes on their "headlines" which broadcast what is being said at the moment for those viewers who a) can't figure out how to un-mute their television or b) need Wolf's fifth grade generalizations boiled down to the first grade level, but with a flourish of Hearstian overstatement. Right now, as I'm typing, their headline is "Ripples of War." For the love of all that once was journalism, what the hell is that supposed to mean? Wait, is there something going on in the middle east? If those images they're showing me simultaneously on twenty-seven screens are ripples then a splash must be an alien invasion of Independence Day magnitude.

Forgive me for this turning into a live blog of sorts, but right now Wolf is on the scene! That's right folks, our most viciously named all-star journalist is on the beaches right now with his shades on. He gestures the camera to follow him as he occupies four out of the six screens back in the studio as he stares down two Israeli war ships.

Sweet lord, it continues. Now it looks like they have a new toy. It seems Miss Universe 2003 can touch the screen to change the images displayed there. Let's all hear it for her hard work! Other far lazier stations change the images on the screen using a computer or some buttons and dials backstage. Slackers.

The last show CNN aired which was so transparently antithetical to reporting the news was Crossfire. Many thanks to Jon Stewart for his part in taking that one down. This time, though, it's going to have be the viewers who, with their remotes, say that they aren't taken in by all the high-tech hocus-pocus; they would actually prefer some analysis, context, and facts.

Wolfie, you can keep your exorbitant screen acreage. I'm turning you off.

Making Change a Career - "Rebooting America"

RyanWerder — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 12:34:26 EDT

Among the many stories told by the "Making Change a Career" panel, one can't help but take away the message that career paths are anything but straight. Before the questions from the thousand-strong audience began flying "scattershot, Cheney style," each of the panelists recounted the remarkable stories which led them to a Campus Progress stage flanked by massive screens. Majora Carter, the executive director for Sustainable South Bronx, soberly reminded us all that poverty is a hindrance to activism. Not two minutes later, while discussing what we conference-goers were to face in the future she laughed saying that "we ain't seen nothin' yet!" Tom Mattzie, the Legislative Director from MoveOn.org didn't have any kind of prepared remarks though he did offer up some consolation for those of us already anticipating a cruel post-grad job search: He started as a temp in an apolitical organization and now, ten years later, he's done pretty well for himself. He did regret that he hadn't won a Pulitzer for his many emails most of us in the room receive, as Samantha Powers had for her recent book. Her story was particularly interesting as it originated with the USA Sports page (she shook everything else into the trash) and ended up highlighting genocide in an award-laden book, A Problem from Hell. She did note that it helped working late hours one floor above US News & World Report, though. Next up was Jefferson Smith, a Harvard Law top grad, organizer of the Oregon Bus Project, and apparently a comedian. After discovering that he could say any US geographic area and get a cheer ("South Dakota?" "WHOOO!!!") he discussed how he took the highest paying job offer in the country only to discover that "life is worth more than dying with a coffin full of money." The final panelist was Sonal Shah, currently a Vice President at Goldman Sachs and previously a globe-trotting advisor on economic issues for a long list of impressive organizations. Though her retelling of her career path did reflect the lengthy list of her accomplishment, it was remarkable to hear that her kind of story (immigrant to international advisor) doesn't only exist in A&E biographies. They all made it sound so easy (other than the whole graduating magnum cum laude from Harvard Law) and maybe that's because it is: find what you want change, what needs to be changed, and do it. Jefferson Smith, and the thousand students in unison with him, summarized it best: "GET ON THE BUS!" Now, please excuse me, but Senator Obama is about to speak. Keep reading throughout the day for more live blogging from the Campus Progress Student Conference!

DeLay tries to pack up his desk

RyanWerder — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 11:59:06 EDT

It hasn't been a very good week for Mr. DeLay: A judge ruled that he can't scamper out of Texas to escape some very unappealing electoral prospects and now he may not even be able to take his desk with him.

After the ruling that he must remain on the ballot for Texas's 22nd district - something The Hammer was attempting to avoid following his disgraced resignation from Congress - DeLay is scrambling to grab whatever else he can. At this point it's probably just habit.

DeLay's most recent target is literally his desk. The 35 year-old replica of George Washington's writing table would cost $14,000 and falls under the illustrious category of "special inventory item" which means it "may or may not be available for purchase." Vern Ehlers (R-MI), chairman of the House Administration Committee is on the case. Apparently it is not unusual for Members to buy generally available items, however Rep. Ehlers' office still has not made a decision.

One way or another, it's nice to know that he's emptying out his desk.

Thank You: A Memorial Day Tribute

RyanWerder — Mon, 30 May 2005 16:32:08 EDT

Memorial Day exists as a stop sign on our yearly calendar. It tells us to stop for just a moment and remember to whom we owe the protection of our great nation. These often anonymous brave men and women are the ones who put the “last full measure of devotion” on the line to protect their equally anonymous countrymen back home.

In return for their sacrifices and heroics there are only two things that the citizens of America can offer as recompense which can begin to approach the debt we owe them. The first is our taxes. A fraction of each dollar we grudgingly pay during tax time goes to supporting and supplying the troops. It’s high time that America remembers that paying taxes is among the most patriotic duties we perform each year. Let’s not forget that our earliest veterans fought and died for the right to taxation with representation.

The second, and equally important, measure we owe to the soldiers is our gratitude. If April 15th is the day which we pay for their service, May 30th is the day we thank them for it. This day is a day to take some time for a bit of reflection. Consider the sacrifices made at Valley Forge, Normandy, Iwo Jima, Tet, Korea, the thousands of other battles, and yes, even Afghanistan and Iraq.

It is an overwhelmingly saddening reality that treaties are not enough to ensure the safety of all the world’s citizens. In a time when “winning the peace” is synonymous with every other euphemism for war, we need our troops. And they need our gratitude. Today, more than any other, let us all pause at this stop sign of sorts and remember those who served before, serve now, and those who will protect us in the future. So to all of you enlisted men and women who might stumble upon this note at some point, from the bottom of my heart: Thank you

Independent Success!

RyanWerder — Fri, 22 Apr 2005 12:04:47 EDT

In the midst of finals here at the University of Michigan, I can't help but keep thinking back to April 12th. On that date, the Michigan Independent launched its first issue ever and received high praise across the entire campus. The Independent was especially welcomed by progressives and was also appreciated by a number conservatives, including the Editor-in-Chief of the conservative magazine at U-M.

I offer up this story as a rallying call for all those who desire more progressive thought on their campus:

After a month of lining up the basics and spreading the idea of a progressive magazine around campus through endless emails and flyers, I called a mass meeting and selected a staff. Perhaps it was just luck, but the staff is absolutely incredible and really made the rest of the production thousands of times easier and that much more fun.

To cut ahead past all the vital minutiae that went into the final product, the launch of the Independent was a resounding success. The staff got up early to move all the newly delivered magazines to the Diag (U-M's "quad") where we planned to hand them out to people the whole day instead of simply putting them in racks around campus. We started the day at 8AM with 5000 copies. By 4PM they were all but gone. The whole day was filled with "thank you's" and "congratulations” from other students. The pride which I, and every other staff member, felt that day was tangible.

In addition to the distribution of the magazine on the 12th, U-M also had the honor of hosting Steve Greenstreet's This Divided State the same night. I was concerned that, because of finals approaching, people wouldn't bother to come out to see the film. I was wrong as hell: the auditorium was filled to capacity and then some. The showing was another huge success and the message which it is meant to teach has been brought up in many recent meetings I’ve attended.

I hope that you will take away from this posting the idea that progressivism is still alive on campuses and all you have to do is stir it a bit to wake it up. The whole Michigan progressive community has been invigorated by this magazine and I hope to see that same spirit spread throughout the full U-M campus as well as to other schools across this divided nation of ours.

If You Build It, They WILL Come

RyanWerder — Wed, 23 Mar 2005 15:50:03 EST

In my last posting I wrote about college students’ distressing lack of interest in the events which surround them. Recently, at the University of Michigan, there has been a real spike in activity.

Apathy Is Our Greatest Enemy, Friendship Our Greatest Asset

RyanWerder — Sat, 12 Mar 2005 13:59:51 EST

As progressives, we know we are right. We know that our causes are just, worthy, necessary and that they are moving too slowly.

The impediment to our progress is not those misguided conservatives. Karl, Rush, Ann, and their friends can only mobilize and polarize so many people. Our great obstacle keeping us from victoriously reforming America is our own friends’ apathy.

When in modern history did conservatives become more energized than us? We are college students! We inherit the tradition of carrying the torch of progress. The classes before us attended teach-ins, marched on state capitols, and mourned with Kent State. Today, Bush doesn’t even bother targeting college students on his social security crusade because he believes, and correctly so, that the students won’t act and won’t care. It’s time that we ask ourselves whether we are truly filling our historic role as the catalysts of change.

If you are reading this article on this particular website, the odds are that you, at least relative to your classmates, are active in the movement. Consequently, your duty is not to become more active yourself (though that is always a good idea) but to bring your friends into the progressive movement.

Here is how to do it: ask them what they feel strongly about. It doesn’t matter whether it is the exorbitant cost of tuition, the War in Iraq, or even if they think it is high time the drinking age be lowered to eighteen again… you must help them ignite a passion for progress. Once that flame is lit it is your job to fan that little spark and help it grow. Guide them along and eventually, sooner or later, they will get that electrifying tingle that will spread through their body as they realize that their actions are changing the world a little bit for the better.

The greatest leaders humanity has produced are noted for many achievements, but the greatest trait they all share is the ability to excite a large group of individuals. As history has shown, it only takes one person to motivate millions. The progressive movement does not need someone like that. What we need instead are millions of people to motivate a few others. This chain reaction will create a mighty wave of hope, courage, and intensity which will sweep through this nation and wash away the ideological pollution which is corrupting America’s dream.

Remember to explain to your friends the urgency of the situation and the need for their immediate action. Remind them that they have only a few years of college left and they will never have a pulpit like a random bench on campus to speak from again.

Take your friends hands and guide them. Help them find their cause and their initiative. For too long we have watched our country be ravaged as we hide behind our apathy. Enough is enough. Find your voice and find your friend’s. Do it before you are in your cap and gown and are wondering where all the time went. It is now time to stand up on that bench and say to the world, “I care.