John Kerry took my voting virginity. He sealed the deal with charm, charisma, a few good lines… John Kerry took my voting virginity. He sealed the deal with charm, charisma, a few good lines and the fact that I’d rather have a gynecological exam, have my eyes clawed out by baboons and listen to fingers running down a chalkboard — all at the same time — than vote for George W. Bush.

I’m the spawn of two parents recently retired from the military, and Kerry has impressed me with his service record. For my peace of mind, I want to know that there is a man in office who has been in combat, can relate to the position of the troops and will give war consideration before putting the lives of people like my parents in danger.

I appreciate the fact that Kerry wants to protect a woman’s right to choose. As far as I’m concerned, no man should have any say whatsoever in the matter seeing as they will never be able know what it’s like to be in that situation. Having a lawmaker who respects the decision of a woman and her body is the next best thing to having a chick in there watching out for our rights.

Despite the fact that I am the driver of a gas-guzzling, air-polluting SUV, the environment has been a huge concern of mine since I took environmental science senior year of high school. Should I ever get a paying job after graduation, I fully intend to shop for other transportation options.

I’ve been routinely appalled and disappointed by the Bush administration’s lack of regard for critical problem-correcting treaties such as the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty. I’m pleased that Kerry supports the research of scientists — not big oil companies — and wants to work internationally to correct the devastating problem of global warming.

Watching tuition increase steadily since the time my sister and I entered college, I think it’s refreshing to see that Kerry not only acknowledges this problem, but also has come up with an incentive plan where students provide two years of service to the community and, in return, have their education funded.

I’ve often said that if I had to do the whole college process over again, I’d take a year off post-high school graduation to really try to figure out what it was I wanted to do with my life. I think Kerry’s plan is similar to what they do in England, with a “gap year” before going to a university. It would be a positive step for the community as well as helping future students get a clear vision of what they want to do — rather than be in school extra semesters when they realize they’ve wasted credits in majors they do not wish to pursue.

Kerry has acknowledged the downshifting state of the economy. He realizes that dime-a-dozen political science/communication majors like me don’t have an overwhelming amount of jobs available post-graduation. He admits that outsourcing is a huge problem and will continue to be so if action is not taken. His plan to place a tax burden on companies who outsource jobs has potential to help rectify the situation, and is certainly more promising than anything W has come up with.

More than anything, I think it’s incredibly important that John Kerry knows that the United States can continue to be the world’s superpower while being open to the lifestyles and cultural differences of other states. We can be the world’s hegemon without taking over and trying to Americanize all corners of the earth. He has the compassion to see that while we can certainly help other nations, we do nothing but infuriate and create enemies by pushing American culture on every group that doesn’t have the same exact worldview as we do. Doing something differently does not necessarily mean it’s wrong — it’s just different.

While being compassionate, it’s important to know that Kerry is committed to exterminating all terrorists and those who pose threats to our great nation. He’s taking the incentive to protect our everyday targets like bridges, ports and airports where security is completely lacking. He’s not a pushover or a flip-flopper. That’s just the picture the White House caricaturist is trying to create for the American public.

In the most recent issue of Rolling Stone, Kerry admits to being a huge Bruce Springsteen fan — as is John Edwards. The fact that the man digs the Boss just clinches my loyalty, as does his punch on the old-school absentee ballot I sent in the mail last week.

This is the closest Colleen Bayus has ever come to writing about an issue of actual substance. She promises not to do it again. E-mail her at [email protected].