So this guy runs up to me on campus one day, out of breath, drooling a little, after almost getting hit by a car and he says to me, “You write for the paper, right? You that dude Willie that’s been badmouthing the president of the United States?”

I responded: “Yeah, I am always speaking the truth.”

Then he tells me, “We need to talk.”

My first question to him was, “Who are you and what do we need to talk about?”

Well, he introduces himself and starts to tell me that he thinks I’m a good writer and that he’s enjoyed some of my other other columns. But then he tells me he thinks my insults about President George W. Bush have gone too far.

He continues: “Bush is a great hard-working and honest guy, and 30 years from now, you will see that the decisions that he has made in the past four years and the decisions he makes in the next four years will bring people in this country together and will allow all of us to continue to live in a society that includes a fair democracy for all.”

I paused for a second and told myself that he has a point. People will be joined together – it will be soldiers and innocent families in other countries who were killed during war who will come together in the same place at the cemetery.

I paused again and asked him, “Have you ever broke bread with G.W.B.? If not, how do you know he is honest and hard-working?”

It seemed to me that, judging by the tone of this conversation, this guy was practicing his comedy routines on me to see if I would laugh at some of the praises he was giving the president of the United States.

His next question to me was: “Willie, why do you write about the issues that you do?”

My response to the gentleman and to the readers is that I do not write articles to offend anyone personally or satisfy any individual. I write my column – which is of my opinion – to spark critical thinking. My goal is to educate people and become educated myself.

As our conversation continued, the gentleman informed me of some issues that opened my mind up about Bush. There also were points I brought up about John Kerry and Bush that he began to understand and respect.

After an hour of talking, our conversation ended rather well. Although both of us parted ways probably still believing that our choice for leading the United States for the next four years was the right one, we departed in a respectful and courteous way. We both departed understanding more of why we believed what we believed.

For the record, I support the troops. It’s the decision-making of our leaders that instruct them to kill or be killed during war and that rationale that gets my blood rushing.

America has to be protected. We have to make home safer and provide for people in the United States before we can be the police and savior for everyone else.

Columns reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Northern Star staff.