I would like to congratulate Cait Jacob for writing her Feb. 27 column, GOP ideals set proper course for country
in such a way that makes a response very difficult to write.
The problem was not that the points Jacob made were too well substantiated to argue, it was that no point seemed to be made. Maybe it's me, but no matter how many times I read the column, I failed to grasp what she was actually trying to say.
Perhaps the purpose of the column was to bemoan the misfortune of being conservative at a fairly liberal school. If that is the case, let me extend my sympathy. I'm sure attending such a school can be overwhelming. So overwhelming, in fact, that one forgets that this newspaper has published more than one conservative commentary in the past few weeks, that two conservative judges were appointed to the Supreme Court recently or that one's party controls the White House and Congress. In fact, one could also overlook the fact that graffiti and rallies are generally used to promote change, not to let people know how much they support the status quo.
Of course, that was only mentioned at the beginning of the column. Maybe Jacob's purpose was to address the loss of sovereignty incurred when a nation joins the United Nations. If so, let me first say that it is precisely the strength of the United States and other nations that makes the U.N. effective in certain cases. Second, the Bush administration's display of arrogance and unilateralism is what alienated us from our allies who could have helped us in the mess in Iraq. But I hope that was not Jacob's purpose; it's too replete with contradictions and ill-defined statements.
I guess I should try and understand what Jacob's column says on the whole. Maybe it was simply a hollow summary of her personal beliefs, something that, as a reader, I do not find particularly fascinating. And if I look at on the whole, it seems that non-Republicans lack common sense and family values, have no ideals, believe that evil should triumph over good, that people are not born with rights and that self-reliance is bad. So, to the author: If that was indeed the point you were striving to make, then good job and I'm sure you offended many people.
So before I'm written off as another voice of the oppressive majority, let me mention that I am a Libertarian (which apparently is off the traditional radar). And if my information is correct, Republicans greatly outnumber Libertarians.
But don't worry - I won't make you apologize for that.
- Amanda Teuscher is a sophomore journalism and political science major. 17
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