Farewell for now

(12/8/04)

So here we are at the end of the semester, on this wretched night I am filled with fond remembrances of the Presidential Election and the quality musings I've tried to offer you, my faithful and most likely few readers.
These past few months has seen our country change in innumerable ways. The Democratic Party, suffering a crippling blow from the failure of John Kerry (haven't typed that name in a while), has come to collapse in on itself and disintegrate into a party of infighting and whining. George W. Bush and his band of merrymen and women have proclaimed themselves dictators and I'm all right with that-for now. Regardless of what side of the fence you read this on it is undeniable that the world is changing, the question is what is it changing into.
In the Ukraine, that beacon of Democracy, the recent Presidential election has been nullified and a new election is being planned. This is what makes the aspiring journalist salivate. The protests being held in the Ukraine capital of, well, whatever it is, was a testament to the spirit of man and the desire for a just government. Most people, myself included, have resigned themselves to the fact that most people are blind fools, following and never giving it a second thought while marching off a cliff, but those Ukrainians know how to party. They have recognized the true spirit of freedom and they simply won't allow their lives to be governed by an unqualified ruler. Let us remember this situation and know that there is still a human spirit alive in the world and somewhere, in a far off barren nation, Democracy is working.
I'm unsure of the timetable for the Southern News, but by the time we're back for the glorious spring semester we'll be witnessing the grand election in Iraq. This is assuming it goes on as planned on Jan 30, but knowing my boy, Dubya, the show will go on as planned. As partisan as I can be sometimes, even I can't help feeling a bit queasy at the thought of Iraq intelligently or lawfully choosing its own government. We?ve increased troop strength and have begun to chase the 'insurgents' from city to city, all to ensure this election. The Iraqi election will either justify our presence or officially proclaim the situation a quagmire. For all mankind, let us hope that Democracy works in Iraq.
Enough of the politics for now, I'm sure their will be plenty of time to rant about the subject when the time comes. For now, be merry and spend money. Enjoy the holiday season and the time off from the grind of school. I would love to ramble on and on in this fi- nal column of the semester, but time and the powers behind the paper have offered me only a small amount of space due to my habit of 11th hour contributions, but it matters not. Let us all bask in the Yuletide spirit and blackout celebrating the New Year. Godspeed, friends and fellow spiteful bastards, I eagerly await the opportunity to subject you all to my rambling nonsense in the coming semester.