Ignorance from the right

It seems as though I have taken on an adversarial role insubmitting my commentaries to The Daily Campus. Nonetheless,I remain committed to maintaining some degree of intellectualintegrity when discussing my views; something thatyesterday’s commentary by Swede Hanson was lacking.

I naturally had to laugh at Hanson’s ignorant assertion ofa Republican victory this past Nov. 2; a victory that waspredicated upon four years of structural inefficiency, fiscalirresponsibility and a substantial growth in the size of thegovernment that is leaving people with less control over theirlives. There was no good reason to cast a ballot for George W.Bush, not one. No, I will not harp on this man’s incompetenceas a public speaker or his striking ineptitude when thrown hardballquestions by the press, but rather, his inability to crafteffective policy that makes proper use of taxpayer money and placesgovernment on the side of the people, not against them.

There was nothing constructive about Hanson’s commentary;he insults Democrats’ religious integrity, he brings abaseless claim against the Clintons and its implications on theelectorate, but what won the gold was Hanson’s admittedignorance. In his commentary, he claimed, “Designate anyoneas your party’s nominee who has a message or aplan…” Wow. If you are too busy to pay attentionduring the debates or any other televised session, then it is YOURresponsibility as a voter to find out what the issues are and whatplans the candidates have. Ladies and gentleman, this informationis available by the click of a mouse, but unfortunately for Hanson,that requires that you can actually think.

Subsequently, he brings a barrage of insults against Hollywood,all of them completely unjustified. If you want to talk aboutmorality, let’s discuss what former Republican Speaker of theHouse Newt Gingrich did when he served his wife Marianne Gingrichwith divorce papers after cheating on her for six years withcongressional aide Calista Bisek. This was not the first time hedid something questionable, as he had divorced his first wifefollowing the discovery that she had cancer. Or, what aboutRepublican New York Mayor Rudi Giuliani’s problem withfidelity after cheating on his wife Donna Hanover with his mistressJudi Nathan before Sept. 11? Hanson’s ignorance with regardto this matter is astronomical, but that doesn’t stop himfrom basing morality upon party affiliation. Additionally, whatright do you have over the opinions of people in Hollywood? Isspeech not their constitutionally protected right? Do they notcontribute to our economy? Do they not pay taxes? Then again, Isuppose it’s a crime to be rich unless you’re aRepublican.

After traversing that logical disaster he calls a commentary,Swede Hanson made an incredibly ironic statement: “Distanceyourself from all hate language, books and films.” Soonafter, Hanson states, “Stop embracing those that force ahomosexual definition of marriage on the rest ofAmerica…” When Hanson made this statement, I thoughtof a little boy who starts to cry when his mommy refuses to buy himbubble-gum at the supermarket. This has to be one of the mostridiculous positions that the Republican Party embraces today.Homosexuals are not attempting to abolish time-honored traditionsthat many people hold in deep regard, nor are they asking for anyspecial rights. What these people are asking for is theacknowledgement of their constitutionally protected rights, in muchthe same way that blacks and women professed during the 18th and19th century.

These people are not deviant, hateful monsters who are trying totransform the world into a cesspool of immorality. Two consentingadults in this society should be allowed to make important personaldecisions by themselves, without having to endure ridicule by thepeople or government. If these people want to get married andexpress the love they share through a timeless, dynamicinstitution, they have every right to do so. I cannot tell you howirritating it is to hear foolish homophobes pontificate on theproblems associated with homosexual marriage. This is America, landof the free and home of the brave, which bases its government, lawsand bylaws on the precepts of liberty. Rather than understand this,however, religious extremists like Swede Hanson are more interestedin professing a bigoted, anti-American ideology that would makeAdolf Hitler blush.

A ballooning national debt, a growing budget deficit,problematic and questionable foreign policy that has made Iraq andthe world unsafe, the curtailing of civil liberties, poor economicpolicy that brings every American down in a sea of rising costs anddeclining incomes and a weak dollar that is being substantiallyoutpaced by the Euro and is barely holding up against the Canadiandollar. So, what happens when our economic and military hegemonyexpires? We’ll probably find some way to re-elect Bushagain.

Chris Purcell is first-year political science major andvice-president of the SMU democrats. He may be contacted [email protected].