Getting scared.......

[rocktop15]

Hey folks. I'm a 19 year old sophomore at UTC majoring in Poly Sci. Today in Current Political Ideas (a 300 level class) we discussed the RNC convention the whole class. I was honestly scared hearing other's opinions. Listening to people talk on this board, you would think Kerry has nothing but an assured victory and that your normal Joe 6 pack is logical and realizes that * is a lying, sack of shit that can't be trusted to manage a 7-11, little less the United States of America.

You're wrong.

I was the only one in the whole class (out of 25 or so very intelligent people) to say anything remotely positive about Kerry and his policies. All the liberals basically were saying "Hell, Zell sealed it for Kerry!!!" You also had a lot of the ABB votes.....which I'm not going to bitch about lol.

Also, everyone believed that he is running a shitty campaign....I have to agree with them somewhat. Although, his speech last night was great!!

Good news though is that Dr. Mugrabi ( a brilliant professor fluent in Middle Eastern affairs) basically came out and laid the groundwork down as to why this "war" is being fought. This pissed the conservatives off a great deal.

Fake enthusiam doesn't get us anywhere. Register votes and stay positive. God knows I am!!!!

[West Coast Democrat]

1. I don't know which Zell speech your class was listening to....

if the GOP thought it was a success, they wouldn't be distancing themselves from him.

Don't know what to say about your classmates. They don't sound very intelligent.

[Liberal Veteran]

2. I think it's sad state of affairs that only muckraking and smearing get...

...people's attention these days.

[ibegurpard]

3. You should be scared

But don't let your fear cause you to despair. This thing is FAR from over and there's a lot to be hopeful about.

[cheshire]

4. I for one on here am glad to see someone with a brain. Get the vote out.

[merh]

5. Don't post "I'm getting scared" you should change it to "I'm Determined!"

No one said it would be easy and you have the right idea, spread the truth, enlighten the ignorant and register voters. This campaign is not just Kerry's responsibility, it is ours. The election is not Kerry's to lose, it is our's to lose. We have to take responsiblity and action.

The media is not on our side, to we have to take the message to the people, we have to do our part.

I am tired the the "scared" posts - I want more - I'm determined and I am doing my part.

Thank you for sharing your perspective and for your efforts, please try to stop being scared.

I want the repukes to think they have it in the bag, while all along we work to beat them. I don't want the dems to get too lazy and/or too confident. I also don't want the weed that would be king to do anything desparate to "secure a win". Fake terra attacks are not beyond these evil demons capabilities.

[madmax]

6. We will win if Democrats turn out to vote and we continue to

register new voters. Staying postive here :hi:

:yourock: rocktop15

[quaoar]

7. Stand up in front of your classmates

And ask for a show of hands of how many support the war in Iraq.

Then ask how many of them are willing to sign up and go to Iraq to fight for freedom and democracy.

[quaoar]

9. BTW

Roll Tide!!!!! LOL

[Gregorian]

8. Right now, I'm really worried.

California is not in the bag.
Bin Laden.
Electronic votes.

[Bluebear]

10. Maybe Chattanooga is more conservative?

That may be your regional audience?

[rocktop15]

11. oh yes

they are very conservative.

[seabeyond]

12. give this to your class

and tell them if they want a democracy we have got to have a free press, or it is simply media, hence big corporation picking our president. i maintain it is not kerry running a poor campaign, like with the gore election, more so now with kerry, it is orchrestrated thru media. you are youth,..........get to work, grinnin, this is your future, and my sons at 9 and 6



The video CNN won't show you: Media ignores Ben Barnes, while lavishing attention on Swift Boat liars
While CNN and other media outlets continue to give invaluable free coverage to the discredited liars attacking Senator John Kerry's Vietnam record, they continue to ignore President George W. Bush's own Vietnam-era record.

On August 25, a Media Matters for America analysis found that in 2004, Bush's Alabama National Guard record (or lack thereof) had come up in only 752 news reports available on Nexis. By comparison, 1,924 reports discussed Kerry and swift boat veterans.

The disparity in coverage has only grown: From January 1, 2004, to September 3, 2004, 4,199 reports have mentioned Kerry and swift boat veterans; only 803 reports have mentioned Bush and the Alabama National Guard.

This growing disparity in coverage comes despite the fact that, last week, a video surfaced showing former Texas Speaker of the House Ben Barnes admitting he got Bush into the National Guard. The Barnes video was virtually ignored by the broadcast media; according to a search of the LexisNexis database, from the time the video surfaced a week ago through September 2, CNN had mentioned Barnes six times but only once aired a few seconds of the video. CBS had mentioned Barnes three times; FOX had mentioned him only once; and ABC, CNBC, MSNBC, and NBC had all completely ignored him. A search of the LexisNexis "All News" directory for Ben Barnes and Bush yields only 65 hits for the period August 27 to September 2 -- less than one-tenth the hits for Kerry and the swift boat vets during the same period.


http://mediamatters.org/items/200409030013

[ItsMyParty]

13. You bring up a point that we unfortunately miss

..and I've screamed about it forever. You said that we assume that the people know about all this shit with Bush and they don't. TOTALLY AGREE. That is the weakness in this campaign and has been an unfortunate Dem weakness for some time. It is up to US, the Dems and Kerry/Edwards and the DNC to literally educate the people of what Bush has done to them and plans to do to them. They, honest to God, don't know even though they are living it every day. We are failing in our real EDUCATION mission.

[West Coast Democrat]

14. Apparently, Oregonians aren't as easily fooled as those in Tennessee

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x740803

[Blue_Roses]

15. You're in TN right? Well, I'm in Arkansas

it rolls like that in a state like this. Conservative basically and they are serious "doubting Thomases" so they swing with the wind. I'd be interested to know what the "liberals" feel about Kerry that makes you so scared.:shrug:

[Indiana_Dem]

16. I don't know about your school and how it leans as a whole

but I've read where many schools have been infiltrated with what is called Straussian philosophy. The neocons follow Straussian theory. From what I've read, the philosophy takes the need for the strength of military of conservatism and the love of government from liberalism and combines them. I've also read this school of thought is the exact opposite of Libertarianism. I may be wrong, but to give good rebuttals in your class, you may want to teach them a little about Leo Strauss and his school of political thought!

That has been an influence in colleges as well as the Christian right. College age kids also tend to carry on the party of their parents regardless of what they really know about it and more children who go to college tend to have more money and tend to vote Republican. It will keep going this way as college tuition soars, funding is cut, and more and more kids won't be able to afford the liberal arts schools. Also, the ones with the money who contribute to colleges and universities will only do so if the school encourages certain philosophies they support. Like my grandpa says, the colleges don't teach you HOW to think anymore, they teach you WHAT to think. He went to Hillsdale in Michigan before it became so conservative back in the early 1900s. He is now 96 and upset at how many colleges have transcended into this.

[quaoar]

17. Kick

C'mon DU.

Give this kid some encouragement.

[MoonRiver]

18. If * gets another 4 you and your friends will be drafted.

After that you'll be fighting suicidally obsessed individuals who will cut your head off as easily as drink a glass of water. Tell your classmates to chew on that for awhile.

[bobbyboucher]

19. Whatthefuckever.

Very scientific. Kerry better fire everyone and start again.

[quaoar]

20. That's hardly encouragement

This kid is in Chattanooga. He needs ammo, not attitude.

[Viking12]

21. Don't get frustrated

I know it my seem bleak but you're in an environment that represents a very, very small slice of the people your age and an even smaller slice of the American electorate. Inform yourself about Kerry and the issues and engage other students as positively as you can. Don't bash them, question them and educate them. If they get beyond the talking points, they'll come to the light side. You can make a difference.

Some won't. Don't sweat it, just ask them why they're in college and not Iraq if they beleive in Bush's plan to save the world.