President George W. Bush’s approval ratings hit an all-time low last week when he infuriatingly vetoed Congress’ bill calling for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Initially it seemed that only the left-wing liberals from coast to coast detested him, but now it seems even his most loyal followers are losing faith.
According to a May 12 article in The New York Times, St. Vincent College, a Roman Catholic school in Latrobe, Pa., recently hosted the president to give a commencement address, and the students there were less than thrilled with his impending presence on their campus.
This is not only surprising because the school is mostly comprised of conservative, religious students, but also because the college president, Jim Towey, is the former director of Bush’s “Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiative,” as well as a personal friend of the president.
And yet, for a week before the president’s impending arrival, there were debates and protests all across the campus. According to the article, in April, Towey had to sit his students down and let them express themselves about why they were so upset by the president’s imminent visit. The response was overwhelming.
Although some students tried to be diplomatic, others went straight for the root of the issue. As one student so eloquently said, “I’ve learned that every life is valuable to the very last day, hour, minute and second that Christ has given. Because of the disregard for human life in countries other than ours, which is partly fueled by our president’s war, I cannot accept him as a representation of our institution, which has given us all so much.”
President Bush has made many, many crucial mistakes during his tumultuous term as president. He has flat-out lied countless times to the American people, and it’s no wonder that even his supposed allies are turning on him. It seems that now, in areas of the country where the president once garnered respect, he is instead treated with disdain.
This should be a harsh wake-up call to the president. He has a little over a year left, as is blatantly pointed out on bumper stickers (“I Can’t Wait ’til ’08!”) across the nation.
Who knows how many innocent American lives have been killed due to his insistence on a pointless war? One can’t even begin to list all the blunders on his record. But that doesn’t mean things can’t change. They can, if he allows them to. He certainly doesn’t want to end his presidency on a sour note, with the majority of the country vehemently hating him.
So step it up, Mr. President. Make your last year your best. Drastic change needs to be made in the current administration, and then things may actually get done. So let’s just hope our president hears us and decides to do what’s best for the country. Wouldn’t that be a pleasant surprise?
