“Considering applying for political asylum in U.K.”

“Oh God. Please forgive them.”

“So I’m looking to get some people together and move overseas. Interested?”

“And, thus, my faith in the American people crumbles.”

These are away messages of friends of mine, Yalies all, and they seem to represent a common sentiment among the country’s intellectual liberals. There is a feeling of disgust, and disdain, and many think that the only solution would be to leave the country. Well, to those of you who feel that way, I say enjoy Canada, or the U.K., or wherever it is you are planning to go. As far as I am concerned, this country is better off without your arrogant self-righteousness.

I know that many people are deeply concerned about another four years under President Bush. I understand that. If Sen. Kerry had won, I would have put up my own away message about my fear for our safety. But the derision conveyed in these away messages, and in things said to me all day on campus, goes way beyond that idea. I would never have threatened to leave the country, or implied that voting for a certain candidate equated a sin, or said that I had lost faith in the people of this great nation. To say those things one has to be absolutely confident that his way is the only way. He has to believe that everyone who disagrees with him is less intelligent, totally ignorant or generally evil. This sentiment, all too common throughout the Democratic Party, evolves from a total failure by the liberal minority to understand the motivations of Bush supporters.

Watching Bush’s victory speech this afternoon, a liberal friend of mine laughed and asked, “Why are they cheering? So Laura is the love of his life — why does that deserve a cheer?” They were cheering aloud, and I was cheering in my heart, because we have re-elected a president who does represent us. Liberals see him as a stupid, brash and uncompassionate theocrat. We see him as intelligent, reasoned and caring. We believe that the world is better off with two new nations working towards personal sovereignty. We believe that we are safer with a madman removed from power. We believe that he cares deeply for the Iraqi and Afghani people, and takes pride in his role as a liberator. And we believe that he acts the way he does because he wants Americans to be safer, and because he is a man filled with love and faith.

We rejoice in this. We were not misled, or tricked into voting for him, and we are not stupid. He simply represents some of the ideals that we find important to effective American leadership. We believe that the United States is a force for good in the world and that he is the man to keep it that way.

Too many people on this campus fail to understand how anyone could believe this, and how anyone could support the president. So they reach for explanations that make sense, and call us stupid, ignorant and evil while shaking their heads in disgust. Then they threaten to leave the country. Well, I still say go ahead. But before you go, you might want to take a look at the 51 percent of us who voted for Bush. You might consider the fact that so much support for the president necessitates explanations that go beyond belittling our intelligence. Until you do, at least have the courtesy to stop insulting what you do not understand, and thinking yourself superior because of your own ignorance.

Brian Cook is a senior in Pierson College.