Livin' la vida liberal
In response the April 10 viewpoint "Modern-day witch hunt?" by our admittedly liberal Daily Texan editorial board, Peter Schweizer did say that hypocrisy is part of human nature. The main point of his talk, though, was not to play a game of "gotcha" with public officials. He sought to show the ways that liberal ideologues preach liberalism and often practice principles that are conservative.
Schweizer talked about the most ardent defenders of labor unions (Nancy Pelosi), who found that labor unions don't work very well when it's your own employees (in the case of her hotel). He talked about Ted Kennedy's assertion that the estate tax is necessary for social justice. Even though Ted Kennedy supports a 49 percent estate tax, he has only paid $132,000 of $300 million in taxes (0.004 percent). Instead, Ted has put his wealth in trusts domiciled in the Cayman islands and Fiji (according to Ted's own public records). Schweizer believes you should practice what you preach. If you believe in the estate tax, you should pay it, rather than espouse that it's necessary for "social justice."
Noam Chomsky rationalized his contradiction of supporting the tax but avoiding it by saying, "[It's okay] because I'm trying to help suffering people." So it's not just that Kennedy and Chomsky believe in social justice; they have a moral superiority to make decisions about when they can ignore their own beliefs.
Liberal ideology says to support the death tax, labor unions and gun restrictions and oppose school choice. However, when these liberals live their own lives, they favor quite the opposite. This could mean that they send their kids to private school. It could be epitomized in Ted Kennedy's body guard's arrest on Capitol Hill for carrying one handgun, two submachine guns and 146 rounds of ammunition. Liberal hypocrisy might mean that when it comes to your own money, you suddenly don't think the death tax is fair. When liberals ignore their ideology, their kids get a better education, their lives are better protected and they are wealthier. This was Schweizer's point: When conservatives ignore their values, their lives get worse and when liberals engage in the same hypocrisy, their lives are better.
Clint Chegin Economics junior YCT chairman
It's disappointing that The Daily Texan totally missed the point of YCT's Peter Schweizer talk.
Sure, it's fun to point out liberal hypocrisy. I won't deny that it makes me giddy to know that Michael "I Don't Own Any Stocks" Moore owns stock in pharmaceutical companies and defense contractors. But the point is not to play "gotcha" with sleazy liberals; it's to raise this simple question:
"If liberal prescriptions don't work for those who most loudly promote them, why and how are they supposed to work for the rest of us?"
Tony McDonald Economics and government senior YCT former chairman
Thanks for the good editorial on Schweizer's speech. He has illustrated once again the biggest difference between liberals and today's conservatives: Liberals talk about issues; conservatives talk about liberals.
Jane Chamberlain UT alum
Dogma not so Hillarious, either
The April 10 column "Dems lack of unity not so Hillarious" reflects perfectly the self-congratulatory fundamentalist "you're with us, or you're against us" mentality that has come to pervade and pervert political thinking in our country. In his statement, ".John McCain will be our enemy," the fully indoctrinated author, Colin Kalmbacher, exhibits perfectly what is truly wrong with this country: The fundamentalists from both sides of the aisle do not care about democracy and compromise, but rather about unyielding dogma that they try to bash us in the head with through hate-mongering and self-righteous praise for their own agendas.
We are not Republicans and Democrats. We are not conservatives and liberals. These are erroneous and degrading labels that serve only to inspire erroneous assumptions about one another rather than fairly portraying our values and opinions. We are Americans, and the animosity that political fundamentalists and their zealous underlings would have us feel for one another is the antithesis of progress. Progressive thinking is being able to recognize that two independent, rational human beings can look at the same problem with the same data, and come up with two different opinions. Progressive thinking is being able to accept this and come to a solution that is acceptable to both.
Fundamentalists will tell you their way is the only way and that compromise and reason are weakness and surrender. Their mottos are "WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH," and we are Americans, and this is not acceptable for us.
The political spectrum is not a line from left to right that reads from liberal to conservative, but a circle where fundamentalist "left" and "right" thinking meet at despotism. The further you move from compromise and understanding, the closer you come to slavery and totalitarianism. Vote. But vote for ideas, not for parties.
Nick Serrano-Piche Germanic studies senior
In response to Colin Kalmbacher's April 9 column, "Dems lack of unity not so Hillarious," there seems to be a mistake in the title. It should read, "Dems lack of integrity not so Hillarious." It appears the article is simply pointing out faults in McCain's character instead of discussing the benefits Obama could provide to Democrats who support Hillary. Such a lack of integrity only shows that Kalmbacher (like most Democrats) simply doesn't know enough about Obama to name positive features of his policy proposals - instead he relies on bringing up quotes made more than 16 years ago in order to throw mud at his "enemy." Both candidates McCain and Obama have stated they want a clean campaign. An article of this nature would bring Obama to shame.
John Fitzgerald Petroleum engineering senior
More action, less apathy
Last week U.T. hosted the "Apathy or Action: The Struggle for Human Rights" symposium. On the evening of April 10 I went to hear the keynote address by John Prendergast, a famous human rights activist and expert on the genocide in Darfur and U.S. Africa policies. He has devoted his life to being a leading advocate for peace in Africa. Unfortunately, only a few students attended this thought-provoking, heart-rending event. This man deserved a packed house, standing room only.
Prendergast revealed examples of the horrors of the genocide such as children being snatched from their mothers' arms and thrown into fire. He explained the reasons behind the genocide, such as our overemphasis on Iraq and China's oil interest in Sudan. He also commented about how inaction by the Bush administration has caused the crisis there to escalate.
Prendergast stressed the importance of student activism. I hope students join this anti-genocide movement and also help with other human rights issues, including those of labor rights. For example, there is a campaign to pressure Whole Foods into eliminating slave conditions of the farm workers who pick their fruits and vegetables. When you are indifferent, uncaring and passive you allow injustices and abuses to continue. Students should adhere to UT's core values of seeking the truth, expanding their knowledge and making positive changes.
Anita Quintanilla Austin resident
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