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Students' loyaltise misplaced in politics, sports
Seth Stern
Issue date: 1/27/09 Section: Opinion
Webster defines loyalty as "a feeling or attitude of devoted attachment and affection. Often used in the plural." It is in this sense that I've come to question the values of the current generations of young adults.
In the recent presidential election and recently concluded CSU football season, it has become obvious that the majority of young people place their faith and loyalty in politicians, while the students of CSU demonstrate significantly less loyalty and faith for their own football team. I question any vote cast for either a Republican or a Democrat; however, recent events proved to me that young people have a misplaced sense of loyalty and responsibility.
By throwing their support to Barack in such a fervent manner, liberals and young voters compromised their ability to criticize his performance objectively. Therein lies the problem.
Unlike the Vietnam generation, who learned to never trust the government (ironically the same generation currently running it into the ground), today's 18 to 30-year-olds throw their complete blind faith behind a man unproven.
Despite the fact that the most redeeming trait held and demonstrated by Dubya in election years was that he wasn't Al Gore or John Kerry, the blind faith demonstrated by conservatives in the last eight years helps to prove my point.
Politicians do not deserve the unquestioned loyalties of voters. They may, for whatever reason, earn their vote, but that's where the loyalty must end.
Today's politicians believe themselves beyond reproach for their actions. We witnessed a great deal of finger pointing by Democrats and Republicans during the economic collapse; fact of the matter is anyone holding office was at least partially responsible for the fiasco, and yet a great number of them were reelected Nov. 4. Loyalties should be based on fact and experience, not blind devotion.
Paying attention while walking from one class to another here at CSU will bear up one very strange fact, the loyalties of the students here are weak.
In the recent presidential election and recently concluded CSU football season, it has become obvious that the majority of young people place their faith and loyalty in politicians, while the students of CSU demonstrate significantly less loyalty and faith for their own football team. I question any vote cast for either a Republican or a Democrat; however, recent events proved to me that young people have a misplaced sense of loyalty and responsibility.
By throwing their support to Barack in such a fervent manner, liberals and young voters compromised their ability to criticize his performance objectively. Therein lies the problem.
Unlike the Vietnam generation, who learned to never trust the government (ironically the same generation currently running it into the ground), today's 18 to 30-year-olds throw their complete blind faith behind a man unproven.
Despite the fact that the most redeeming trait held and demonstrated by Dubya in election years was that he wasn't Al Gore or John Kerry, the blind faith demonstrated by conservatives in the last eight years helps to prove my point.
Politicians do not deserve the unquestioned loyalties of voters. They may, for whatever reason, earn their vote, but that's where the loyalty must end.
Today's politicians believe themselves beyond reproach for their actions. We witnessed a great deal of finger pointing by Democrats and Republicans during the economic collapse; fact of the matter is anyone holding office was at least partially responsible for the fiasco, and yet a great number of them were reelected Nov. 4. Loyalties should be based on fact and experience, not blind devotion.
Paying attention while walking from one class to another here at CSU will bear up one very strange fact, the loyalties of the students here are weak.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Ghoochie
George Patsourakos
posted 1/27/09 @ 7:15 PM MST
George Patsourakos
To say that Colorado State University students mistakenly showed more loyalty for Barack Obama's campaign than they did for the CSU football team is like comparing apples and oranges. (Continued…)
Jordan Liebing
posted 1/27/09 @ 10:50 PM MST
I don't think my trust in government and trust in a sports team is a fair comparison. Despite all your wise comments about blind faith, it's absurd to believe that football will ultimately affect my future the way federal policy-making will. (Continued…)
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