We anticipated Ryan Haecker's Nov. 20 column, "Who wears the pants?" would bring a wave of response from readers, but we didn't expect a tidal wave - or a monsoon, rather. For the record, Haecker's column was not a joke. Crazy or inflammatory columns are often submitted to our inbox, and even more often we receive guest column submissions that rehash the same issues bounced from pundit to pundit on television news stations or blogs. But Haecker's column was well-written, provocative and very original, and after much consideration we gladly published it.
Since its debut at the bottom of Page4A, we are thrilled to say that the piece has gotten more response than any other Texan story or column in recent years, and we stand behind Haecker's freedom of expression, right to an opinion and participation in the open forum that is The Daily Texan opinion page. Not only were there more than 150 comments on our Web site, but Haecker himself also provided an interesting response to the public outcry. In a public apology posted to his Facebook page on Thanksgiving Day, he said he "thought it would be prudent to humbly apologize for any offense I've caused in carelessly submitting what's been taken to be a hateful and insulting op-ed." He further explains his thought process in writing the column, detailing where his views stem from. We may not agree with Haecker's viewpoint, but we hold the utmost respect for the energy of his argument and ability to stand with confidence despite the force of popular opinion.
