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Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                            Matt Dulin                             Tony Hernandez 
                Jim Parsons             Dusti Rhodes           Blake Whitaker

Protests prove nation still divided over politics

It's no surprise that President Bush's inauguration has been met with extensive protest. Whether the blame can be traced to the president and his administration, the man who once painted himself as a "uniter, not a divider" has become a powerful catalyst for political polarization.

Those who oppose Bush and his policies have chosen to express their disapproval in various ways as he is sworn in to his second term in office. A national day of boycott on, well, everything has been called by some; here on campus, a walkout was planned at noon, followed by a loosely organized demonstration at Lynn Eusan Park. 

The right to protest is one of the most fundamental freedoms in American political culture, and there are few circumstances under which a person or group should be disparaged for expressing an opinion. And in the case of the current administration, it's clear no one on either side of the fence is making a mountain out of a molehill -- there are some genuine issues dividing the country right now.

One question, however, is why protest an inauguration? Those who oppose the president may see the day as symbolic. But whether you agree with the war in Iraq and the administration's stances of civil liberty and social issues, the fact is Bush won would be hard to contest. Protests of the 2000 election were far more appropriate, as many had legitimate concerns about the situation with alleged voter fraud and judicial influence on the political process.

But Thursday's demonstration didn't have this impetus. Instead, the protest was more about stirring up pre-existing attitudes toward the president. 

On inauguration day, the president is supposed to evoke a certain optimism about bringing the nation together and fostering bipartisanship. But it's already clear that, no matter what words President Bush uses, that's just not going to happen.