I didn't want to write about the Florida recount. Really, I didn't. In an ideal world, I would be regaling all of you right now with my take on the true spirit of Thanksgiving — a spirit that calls, curiously enough, for the giving of thanks. But such was not to be.
The thing is, I really have nothing new to contribute to the by-now two-week-old national obsessive-compulsive episode that has not already been thoroughly hashed and re-hashed by the omnipresent and inescapable Great American Punditorium. Nonetheless, I can think and write about nothing else. For the past two weeks, the information superhighway has closed all exits except those to Palm Beach and Tallahassee — and I, like most Americans, have been locked in the trunk of Tim Russert's Honda Civic as he hurtles back and forth between the two towns.
This situation, admittedly, is not all bad. Chadmania has an entertainment value equivalent to everything else the media has served up in recent years, amalgamated into a single 24-7 maxi-mini-series spectacular — from the O.J. Simpson trial to "The West Wing" to those episodes of "Seinfeld" when Jerry would visit his parents in their retirement home. Critical problems nevertheless arise when one has to turn one's attention to anything other than MSNBC.
As a graduate student, I'm expected to devote considerable mental resources to such matters as Nietzsche's privileging of the aesthetic over the ethical. In return, Princeton has agreed to take care of virtually all of my material needs — with the exception, of course, of dental care. (Quite reasonably, the University administration feels that gingivitis is an integral part of the life of a young scholar; indeed, few things are quite as enlightening as copious bleeding from the gums.) Since Election Day, however, I have been unable to get through more than four pages of "Beyond Good and Evil" without clicking the refresh button for cnn.com. More often than not, nothing new has happened in the Sunshine State. As I am mocked with the re-appearance of the Website I last saw five minutes ago, I forget all about eternal recurrence, even as I am experiencing it.
But, oh, when breaking news actually breaks before my eyes — when it is revealed that Carol Roberts has been secretly chowing down on dimpled chads between meals, or that Katherine Harris and Karl Rove have been making whoopee on the sly in the Broward County Board of Elections rec room — I experience a tingling sensation, akin to, but far more intense than, that derived from a York Peppermint Patty or Vicks Vapo-Rub, which can come only from witnessing history unfold. Fearful of missing my next fix, I sometimes find myself planted in front of the television in Frist when I meant to swing by only the coffee bar for a quick Chai Latte — I then arrive to class 30 minutes late because I was waiting for some Circuit Court clerk to announce whether the next injunction to prohibit the refusal of a canvas of recounts has been issued.
As with any addiction, the highs have become progressively less satisfying over time. Election night was the ultimate rush, but by now I get about the same kick from three hours of live Florida Supreme Court telecasts that I do from half a can of Pepsi One. Yet while some are beginning to mutter about the need for closure, I live in fear of withdrawal that would surely top anything in "Trainspotting." Sure, there will always be something messed up going on in the Middle East, but that's about as good as half a methadone suppository once every other week.
I know I am not alone in my unfortunate obsession. My friends, our only hope is a full-blown constitutional crisis. If we, as Americans, can all unite behind the illegitimacy of whoever emerges as president when the legal process in Florida is at an end, then the rule of law may continue to be threatened for years to come. Our democracy has now lasted for more than 200 years. That's more than long enough. Michael Frazer is a graduate student in the politics department from Riverdale, N.Y. He can be reached at mfrazer@princeton.edu.
Read More
Sitting in at Princeton: proud past, shameful present
Keith Wailoo“To be sure, university leaders of the past were critical of students’ employment of sit-ins as a protest tactic, but they were willing to meet, debate, and — occasionally — even listen and change course.”
“To be sure, university leaders of the past were critical of students’ employment of sit-ins as a protest tactic, but they were willing to meet, debate, and — occasionally — even listen and change course.”
The ‘fun’ model just isn’t sustainable: a plea against hookup culture
Julianna Lee“Understanding and practicing commitment is key in forming and maintaining these relationships. Trust is essential. Making sacrifices for each other and for the family is necessary. If we don’t practice these skills now, we can’t expect to suddenly become good at them when the right time comes.”
“Understanding and practicing commitment is key in forming and maintaining these relationships. Trust is essential. Making sacrifices for each other and for the family is necessary. If we don’t practice these skills now, we can’t expect to suddenly become good at them when the right time comes.”
Faculty letter to U. admin calling for VP Calhoun’s resignation
Guest Contributors“We demand the immediate resignation of VP Calhoun, in whose leadership we have lost all faith following her untruthful and, in our opinion, deliberately misleading representation of student protesters, that has proven to be the real threat to the Princeton University community.”
"We demand the immediate resignation of VP Calhoun, in whose leadership we have lost all faith following her untruthful and, in our opinion, deliberately misleading representation of student protesters, that has proven to be the real threat to the Princeton University community."
