As an institution that prides itself on its political and social involvement, the Macalester community is surprisingly lacking in honest and open dialogue concerning the upcoming election. We are writing in the hopes of initiating such a dialogue, focused on the issues that will profoundly affect the lives of every American.

November 2 will surely prove to be a pivotal day in the history of the United States. On that day, Americans will go to their respective polling locations and elect a president who will in turn determine the fate and future of this country. The choices before them are clear, and most potential voters are already decided. Some will choose the path we are currently on—four more years of a dwindling economy and job cuts, decreases in the funding of public universities and increases in tuition, race-baiting and division on sexual prejudices, politically motivated terror warnings and continual infringements on our civil rights. Others will not.

If there is one thing we can learn from the 2000 presidential election, it is that every vote counts and that we live, as much as we may hate to admit it, in a country entrenched in a two-party system. A fatal assumption to the contrary essentially decided the outcome of the 2000 election, while hundreds of thousands of voters unfortunately chose to abstain from voting entirely. Indifference and misplaced political ideologies have led to our country’s current predicament, and we promise that four more years of George W. Bush will only move politics farther into the scope of conservatism.

When it comes to the issues that will define America in the coming years and decades, Senators John Kerry and John Edwards stand on the side of safety, equality, and opportunity. Kerry has a strong record of fighting for environmental protection. A Kerry-Edwards administration will strengthen the Clean Air Act by closing enforcement loopholes. Kerry and Edwards have defended the rights of gays and lesbians in the Senate and will continue to do so in the White House. As one of only fourteen senators to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, Kerry demonstrated his conviction that same-sex couples have every entitlement to the health benefits, inheritance rights, and Social Security survivor benefits granted to heterosexual couples.

Kerry has also long been an advocate of the fundamental right to higher education through tax credits. Towards that end, Kerry and Edwards have proposed the appropriation of $25 billion in aid to states for the express purpose of supporting higher education. Their plan includes $50 billion in tax credits designed to give every American the opportunity to afford four years of college.

These are a few of the many issues that an informed voter should consider before November 2. Though the current administration may not encourage or even welcome political dissent and discussion, the Kerry-Edwards campaign encourages a thoughtful approach to the issues through public discourse and debate.

As Robert Putnam reminded us at convocation, civic engagement through discussion is essential to the well-being of a community.

With this in mind, and as Election Day approaches, we implore you to think about the issues at hand, and then to involve yourself to bring about the changes you want to see. I believe that participation is the key to a healthy and successful democracy, and your involvement can shape the future.

There are many ways to get involved; talk to your friends, volunteer for a local campaign, wear a button, or start a debate. Most importantly, encourage your friends and family to vote on Election Day. The collective voice of Americans will rise up and proclaim on November 2 that the politics of fear and oppression are no match for the bright future that awaits America.