Students for Kerry respond

To Whom it May Concern:

We are Kerry supporters and always have been. We are Tufts Students for Kerry (SFK), and we are writing in response to any doubt about the nature and goals of the organization we are proud to have built. But most importantly, this letter is an invitation to the Tufts Community to join SFK in our quest to beat George W. Bush in November, because this is an important fight, and we need your help.

We strive to show we are a group that is both pragmatic and idealist. In response to the opinion of a student who expressed concern about the integrity of SFK in Monday's Daily ("Disliking Kerry politics" March 8), we feel that we have been mischaracterized, and that this hostility is misdirected. The students on campus who support John Kerry for President have not exactly led an easy or glamorous campaign existence, despite the glossy magazines and news headlines of recent weeks. We have called voters, knocked on New Hampshire doors, and painted the cannon until wee hours. We engaged in this behavior not only during good times, but also when Kerry was considered "politically dead."

Newspapers printed election obituaries for the senator as we made the drive to New Hampshire in January, while other supporters basked in the perceived inevitable victory of their candidate. It is unproductive 20/20 hind sight to accuse any Kerry supporter of riding in on our candidate's recent success. If we were so concerned with electability, we would have read the headlines and jumped ship when Kerry was trailing by 30 points behind the leading candidate in New Hampshire. It is also ridiculous to berate anyone for becoming involved in SFK recently. If there are more Kerry buttons on Tufts sweatshirts around campus, it is because people have been inspired by a campaign that reaches out to young people.

As for the style of SFK at Tufts, we pride ourselves on the diversity of the students involved, and we work hard to represent the talents of each member. The "polished" performance and "articulate" speech that so annoyed Monday's author are the result of months where we had little room for error. We were forced to articulate just why we felt so compelled to stand behind a man most people had written off. We are not "pre-politicos" as labeled by the writer, but we are impassioned activists who want to help our country get back on track.

In response to the curiously misplaced criticism of Governor Jeanne Shaheen, we can only say that although she is not affiliated with SFK in any way, she remains a great leader, and a respected mentor of students at Tufts. Any problems the author has with her teaching style can be expressed in a certain questionnaire handed out in December by the professor. Otherwise, we urge you to learn all you can from this intelligent, accomplished woman.

The so-called "passionless agenda" of which the author writes is one of a senator who has had the courage to stand up for gun control, controversial criminal investigations, and ending the war in Vietnam. He did not a accept a cent of PAC money throughout his senate career, voted against the Bush tax cuts, an $87 billion blank check to the White House, and led the fight against drilling in the National Arctic Wildlife Refuge. These were steep tests, and John Kerry showed leadership that is all too rare.

Kerry's passion to do what is right is what has inspired SFK to take our service beyond the campaign. SFK has registered thousands of new voters, raised money for breast cancer research, campaigned in historically dismissed neighborhoods, and renewed an inner-city playground through the City Year Servathon. This is a campaign about service, not just politics.

We make no apologies for believing in John Kerry's ability to beat George Bush or gain support. In whose playbook is it wrong to suggest that your candidate can win? This was touted by our organization, because it is proven to be of paramount importance to the American people. The Boston Globe 1/29/04 reported that in New Hampshire exit polls, the number one issue that guided voters in their decision was electability. The voters of New Hampshire spoke in January, and we are confident that they will show confidence in Kerry again this November.

Every campaign emphasized their ability to beat Bush, because Americans know that this election is the difference between health care and none to speak of, a job or unemployment, a dinner to eat or an empty table. SFK has understood from the beginning that this is an election that transcends the luxury of condescending ideology. We need to beat Bush because it is a necessity for so many American families that have no other choice.

It is time to leave behind the tired approach that can only be detrimental to the goal that unites us: beating George W. Bush and taking back the White House. We are proud of the team we have built, and all our group has accomplished this year. This is just the beginning, because this is a campaign that always fights as if it is the underdog, and we have a lot of work to do. We invite Monday's author, and the rest of the Tufts community to join us in our fight to elect a leader that will lead with integrity, poise, and yes, idealism.



Sincerely,



Liz Richardson, on behalf of Ryan Loughlin, Jenna Dreher, and Tufts Students for Kerry



Elizabeth C. Richardson is a senior majoring in Political Science