Obama won: Time to calm down, hypocrites
Emily Thiessen
Issue date: 11/6/08 Section: Opinion
I rarely venture out beyond my dorm room on a weeknight. Tuesday night, however, I decided I to join fellow students in watching the election results on TV. After getting lost trying to locate one party, my friend and I headed toward another. I had been invited there by a friend, simply on the basis that I was out on the town for the evening - she had given me no details about the event itself.
I found myself in a somewhat unlikely situation: the middle of the College Democrats election-viewing party. Unlikely, because the odds of running into a contingency of Democrats on this decidedly conservative campus are slim to none.
During the evening, I grew more and more outraged before leaving with unprecedented disappointment.
Before people peg me as a political bigot, let me clarify and then explain. This is not an issue of the politics of the evening. The politics stand where they stand. I am not writing a political manifesto on policies I believe in or issues I uphold.
That being said, I understand mudslinging on both sides, and I witnessed a lot at this party. Much of it I found blatantly immature. I disagree with hurling personal insults about a man who has already lost. It shows a lack of good sportsmanship. Similarly, I don't find it appropriate to run down Hillsdale Street at 1:30 in the morning, shouting "Yes we can!" at top volume.
But it's fun to be on the winning side. I can't honestly say that I wouldn't have done the same thing if the candidate I had voted for saw victory. In fact, I probably would have.
However, the colorful nature of the celebration pales in comparison to what I discovered.
Being from out of state myself, I had to obtain a ballot from my county clerk back in Illinois and vote absentee. It was a bit of a hassle, but not that much trouble. So, being curious about others' experiences, I talked to some students nearby. I wasn't taking a poll, I wasn't trying to spy. I was legitimately interested.
I found myself in a somewhat unlikely situation: the middle of the College Democrats election-viewing party. Unlikely, because the odds of running into a contingency of Democrats on this decidedly conservative campus are slim to none.
During the evening, I grew more and more outraged before leaving with unprecedented disappointment.
Before people peg me as a political bigot, let me clarify and then explain. This is not an issue of the politics of the evening. The politics stand where they stand. I am not writing a political manifesto on policies I believe in or issues I uphold.
That being said, I understand mudslinging on both sides, and I witnessed a lot at this party. Much of it I found blatantly immature. I disagree with hurling personal insults about a man who has already lost. It shows a lack of good sportsmanship. Similarly, I don't find it appropriate to run down Hillsdale Street at 1:30 in the morning, shouting "Yes we can!" at top volume.
But it's fun to be on the winning side. I can't honestly say that I wouldn't have done the same thing if the candidate I had voted for saw victory. In fact, I probably would have.
However, the colorful nature of the celebration pales in comparison to what I discovered.
Being from out of state myself, I had to obtain a ballot from my county clerk back in Illinois and vote absentee. It was a bit of a hassle, but not that much trouble. So, being curious about others' experiences, I talked to some students nearby. I wasn't taking a poll, I wasn't trying to spy. I was legitimately interested.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
D. P.
posted 11/07/08 @ 10:27 PM EST
http://sadironman.blogspot.com/2008/11/hillsdales-election-response-is.html
Sunshine Tomorrow
posted 11/08/08 @ 2:35 PM EST
I was very disappointed in Emily's take on our party. I do not understand how she got "mudslinging" out of our comments. Sure, there's the usual "finally Bush's out of the office!" and "no more four years [of Bush]," but her comment that we were blatantly and immaturely mudslinging is false. (Continued…)
Hugh
posted 11/12/08 @ 11:11 AM EST
"I disagree with hurling personal insults about a man who has already lost. It shows a lack of good sportsmanship."
Try this on for bad sportsmanship: http://bumperstickers. (Continued…)
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