To the Editor:
I find your [editorial] The Spectrum endorses Barak Obama as published in the October 6th issue of The Spectrum quite disappointing. I am not, as you might assume at this point, a fan of Senator John McCain. What I am is an individual who is frustrated with the general mentality of the majority of the American people, as reflected in the 28 of you.
In the concluding paragraph of your article you write "we have spent the last eight years suffering through one way of doing things and that way hasn't worked. It's time to try something different." No. The truth is that we have spent the last 151 years suffering through two ways of doing things and those ways have not worked. It is time to try something different.
Since March 4th 1853 when the Democratic Party took over the white house from Millard Fillmore of the Whig Party this country has been governed exclusively by two political parties. America is so entrenched in this two party system that almost nobody can conceive of the idea that there may be more than two ways to run this country. Verily I tell you, there are more. I am talking about the so-called "third parties."
Many of us feel that these third parties are trivial things, probably someone's ego-trip gone too far or some radical group's long-shot hope at legitimization, certainly they are not to be taken seriously, right?
I know it sounds crazy, maybe a bit "radical," but some of these parties have some good ideas, and if we stop and seriously consider them we might find a candidate who actually represents what we truly want in a presidential candidate, and we will no longer have to simply choose between the lesser of two evils.
The problem is that most of us do not take these candidates seriously. We hear from all sides that supporting a "third party" is a fruitless undertaking. If we were to simply ignore this fact, then it would not be true. The message is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Besides, what have we got to lose? Based on most major political poles New York's electoral vote is predicted to go to Barak Obama by a considerable margin. Some of you re-considering your position and voting for a third party will not affect the colour of this state, what it may affect, however is the widely held idea that these third parties are a joke, and that none of them will ever stand a chance at the white house.
I challenge you all, dig a little deeper, look beyond the red vs. blue and the message of the main-stream media. If you do, you might find a candidate who actually believes what you believe, and you won't have to throw your vote away on the lesser of two evils.
Alex Verink
Freshman psychology major
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
