In response to Dave Sommers' letter "Nader votes dash hopes for Kerry" (SN 4/6), I'd like to point out that a vote for Ralph Nader is just that - a vote for Ralph Nader. It is not a vote for President George W. Bush, nor is it a vote against John Kerry.

It is a vote that favors the disengagement of the two-party system, which has tainted the American Democratic process for decades. Our country must be in a sad state of affairs when it has come to the point that one no longer votes for which candidate they feel best represents their beliefs and morals, but rather votes for the sake of what they see as "damage control."

The "us vs. them" mentality has plagued our country far too long, and the idea of a third-party vote as a waste is absolutely ludicrous. One shouldn't have voting options limited to only two candidates, nor should one only vote for the party which somewhat represents their views. Rather, we should all feel free to vote for the candidate that we truly believe in.

There are not many constituents out there that can honestly say they agree with every aspect of either of the dominant parties' platforms. Where are the candidates for those voters that, heaven forbid, believe in tighter gun control, more stringent environmental laws and less government control over free enterprise?

Or what if I feel that we have done a noble deed in Iraq, favor less control over the content in the media and feel that domestic affairs are a more important issue than international policy? Where is my candidate? He or she certainly isn't on the liberal or conservative ballot.

I urge all voters to think about which candidates they truly believe in, be they Democrat, Republican, Green Party, Reform Party or otherwise (I am sponsoring a grass roots campaign for Colin Quinn of "Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn").

If I may coin a term or two, please see past your "conservaphobia" or "liberaphobia," and feel free to vote for whom you really want in office.

Bring life back to the ideals of the democratic process set forth by our forefathers.

Doyle N. Miller III
communication senior