On
Jan. 23, Bush delivered his 2007 State of the Union address, but only
13 of the 51 people polled after the speech said they had listened.
All those interviewed said the speech did not affect their opinion
on either the war or on the increase in troops.
If a recent straw poll of 102 people in the EPCC community is any
indication, few here support President Bush’s plans for a troop
surge in Iraq.
Critics included students like Lynette Gamboa, 23, an education major
who questioned the military’s role on Iraqi soil.
“They should not be there in the first place,” Gamboa
said. “President Bush is neither seeing all the innocent civilians
killed nor considering the troops and their families.”
A few, however, were receptive to the President’s announced
plans to send an additional 21,500 troops to Baghdad.
“I feel Bush is a good President,” said Maria Rodriguez,
24. “I support him.”
Louie Serrano, 39, an accounting student, was also sympathetic to
Bush’s strategy. “If we back out now we will lose credibility,”
he said. “Syria and Iran’s terrorist groups will take
over and it will be worse.”
“I watched [the speech],” said Joanna Garcia, 19, business
major, “but, I still don’t think sending more troops is
going to solve the problem.”
Henry Rettig, who teaches Advertising at the Valle Verde campus, said
he was already supportive of the President, and agreed with the troop
surge.“It’s the most logical conclusion to our activities
in Iraq,” he said.
Many who didn’t listen to the President’s address said
it would not have influenced them anyway.
“I have no reason to hear what he has to say,” said Ruby
Peña, 36, English major. “He has sent our loved ones
to Iraq and they are coming back in body bags.”
Carol Trejo, 17, Business major, said that watching the State of the
Union address was not enough to make her change her mind.
Raul Garcia, 18, a Psychology major, was also skeptical of Bush. “I
do not trust the President anymore,” he said. “I do not
believe anything he has to say to the country.”
Also contributing to this story were Janeth Córdova, Olivia
Garcia, Jose Gudiño, Marisol Guzman, Jennifer Montoya, Valerie
McDonald, and Rosa I. Silva.
