After almost a semester of planning, Ithaca College Environmental Society and Habitat for Humanity have seen their tireless efforts come to fruition: Ralph Nader is coming to Ithaca.

Students should take advantage of the opportunity to hear this 2000 presidential candidate speak on the environment and poverty, issues that are dear to each of the sponsoring organizations. His political ideology, like Bay Buchanan’s, should spark questions and debate. However, attendees also need to be respectful of Nader and his ideas.

Nader’s political record is not one full of rhetoric and unfulfilled promises. He has worked diligently to bring about positive change and substantively address major problems within this country. Students should listen carefully to his analysis of society and its many problems. He has researched social and political issues for decades, and even runs his own institute where he and his researchers investigate topics that affect the everyday lives of everyday people. No one, however, should take any speaker’s words to be the absolute truth. Any students questioning his facts should take the initiative to explore the issues on their own.

Whether students agree with Nader’s assessment or not, all should take seriously his call to be involved as citizens. Viewed from any vantage point on the political spectrum, the United States is not perfect. Change and progress will not occur spontaneously. Committed, educated and passionate people are needed to improve society. Nader has been an inspirational leader in the movement for creating a better nation, and students should look to him as an example of a pro-active citizen.

ICES and Habitat should be commended for collaborating to bring Nader to campus. Substantial cooperation among student groups with common interests happens far too rarely on this campus. When students join collective forces and share ideas, their influence becomes magnified. Nader is a well-known figure, and his presence on campus makes a statement about how concerned student leaders are about issues he will raise.