Mike Benoist and I had a rare opportunity to sit down and engage in small talk a couple of weeks ago. Benoist is the president of the College Republicans, and, needless to say, we don’t usually spend evenings together discussing the incredible benefits of the two party system while patting each other on the back in friendly debate. In fact, we ended up sitting in a studio at KMOX the day after George W. Bush spoke at West Pine Gym, moments before we debated the issues facing college students this election year.

He was speaking on behalf of John McCain. I didn’t see the two of us teaming up during much of the upcoming conversation. But he seemed surprised to hear that we agreed on one point. I simply said, “That whole George Bush thing yesterday was a blast.” He stuttered a bit before eyeing me suspiciously and responding, “Yeah, I thought so too.”

The fact is, I wasn’t just kissing his shoe soles. I thought it was awesome. Let me tell you where I’m coming from. At Regis University, we watched the administration of the School of Health Professions hand Elizabeth Dole an honorary doctorate, her 32nd at that time. And no one said anything. A few students complained to their friends; many others cracked jokes. But most people just acted like it was nothing. But not here, and I thank God for that. Here, people speak out, and this is a good thing. I swear, it really is; yet many people we ran into acted like we were promoting communism to kindergartners. So let me explain exactly what happened that fateful day when the Texas Rangers and the Secret Service joined forces with DPS (“one of these things is not like the other”) to safely bring a future presidential nominee to the largest Catholic campus in Missouri.

And that’s a good place to start. Yeah, that was me out in front of the gym that day. I was talking to students, making up crazy chants and doing stupid dances to try to get my message out. G. W. wasn’t ever planning to come to this campus. He was coming to St. Louis, but not to our university. It wasn’t until that Sunday when John McCain started to attack him as a Catholic-hater that he quickly contacted our administration and asked for space to speak. For some reason-that I don’t know, and will not speculate about-we decided that that was a good idea. Well, I didn’t think so. My thoughts were many, but mostly I was concerned about the incidents McCain attacked him for.

George Bush really never seemed too concerned about what his friends were saying until he started to look bad. Do I believe that George Bush really HATES Catholics? Heck no. But I also didn’t appreciate his obvious endorsement of individuals who spoke out strongly against my religion. Bob Jones Jr. did say in an interview conducted during Bush’s visit that the popes were all demon-possessed and that Catholics worship the religion of the Antichrist. Then, in a live interview with CNN, Jerry Falwell defended Bush’s connection to the Christian Right, and then said twice that Catholics were not Christian. Now listen, I don’t think that Bush should drop out of the race, or be sued, or go to prison or even go to hell. I just wanted students and faculty at SLU to know why he was here, and that was to distance himself from friends of his who had tarnished his image.

Now, what do you want me to do? I don’t support Bush, so I don’t want my school used as the pawn in an attempt to save his image. No surprise. What would you expect me to do, roll out a red carpet? No, naturally, that was the College Republican’s job. He is their candidate. Most of them support him. Their position is to support the event and get as many of their fellow students to come listen to their candidate. They did that pretty well. I’m the opposition, and I opposed as well as I could on two-days notice.

Amnesty International has a problem with Bush’s record on life. When abortion protesters shoot doctors, they are condemned as hypocrites and rightly so. They really don’t seem to support the pro-LIFE movement. Amnesty claims that the same should apply to our “pro-life candidate.” Governor Bush has had the opportunity to single-handedly prevent the death of 121 people. He has chosen not to, arguing that their actions allow him to pass judgement on them and take their lives. Personally, I think misdirected protesters make a similar argument when he or she claims that the abortion doctor is so evil that they deserve to die. Amnesty was pointing this out, and, through a press release and petition, requested that Bush stay true to his pro-life stance. The governor twice refused.

Now, while I was informing the public of Bush’s political motives, the College Republicans told me that they would protest Gore’s pro-choice stance if the vice president ever came to campus. Good, and personally I expect Pax Christi or other pro-life groups to be out there. That is what makes these events work. I was concerned by the stories of faculty being verbally abusive to dissenters. Personally-despite how passionate I get about people making the right decisions-I have never found any reason to SPIT on anyone. But apparently one of our close-minded role models did.

One religion professor loudly claimed that one of the Young Democrats was not a legitimate child and that he was sexually active. Unfortunately, she made those claims using words that I cannot put in print. She also suggested that he was lying. So did a number of other adults who stood in line to get into the event. They called us liars, or sinners or even evil. They told us we were going to hell. What? By being the opposition in a democracy? By telling the other side?

Students either listened, or they didn’t. Staunch student democrats ignored the College Republicans. Staunch student Bush supporters ignored my handouts. Staunch “grown-up” Bush supporters acted like bullies or children. That was a disappointment. We get involved in a process that we are condemned for ignoring, and then we get condemned.

Well, I can assure you that the claims my flyers were making were valid, relevant and made with integrity. I can assure you that Amnesty International was not making up the support for their argument. And all of the College Republicans (with the exception of two former members who for some reason believed that they were in charge of the event) all conducted themselves with the utmost integrity.

The event in the end benefited SLU, benefited the students, and, once again, strongly refuted those who say college students are too apathetic to handle the responsibility of political rights.

So listen to your fellow peers. At least know enough to know that you are not going to agree with Bush or Gore on everything. I guarantee it.

When protests are going on, they are simply telling you the other side. That way you are informed. That way, whoever you vote for (and for God’s sake, at least vote), will be the person whom you believe will be the easiest to work with to achieve as many of the goals you feel the country needs to achieve.

And if you are conducting protests, remember, we are not at war. I believe that, and most of the College Republicans I met believe that. For those of you who think that we are at battle, put down that blasted sword.

I am not out to destroy you. I just don’t want you to be the only voice everyone hears. I think after the Bush event, anyone who is willing to look at the political process can say, “Bravo SLU.” I can’t wait `til next time.