mhe editorial- 10/14/04

My response is to your incredible shallow analysis (Campus Times 10/14/04) of the Bush vs Kerry debates, never mind the utter lack of consideration for the facts that your so called editorial is based on. Opinion is appropriate, but it has to acknowledge the legitimacy of fact even if it contradicts ones’ views, in order for it to have value. As a managing director, I’d hoped this lesson had not been missed by you from some of your classes at U of R. Your “analysis” of the debate itself reeks not of an attempt to provide insight to your readers, but instead to state “thoughtful” commentary such as, “Bush was to Kerry as demonic fury is to angelic concern”, and “he (Bush) spent…alternating between sulking and throwing temper tantrums like a 3-year -old”. I’ve read deeper insights in elementary school compositions.As for your facts -you conveniently ignore that despite meeting the “global test” in 1991, Kerry non-the-less voted against Desert Storm.Furthermore, a review on global attitudes toward the US, in the UN for example, over the past 25 years, would tell you plenty about their desire to cooperate on behalf of our and our allies interest. Your acceptance of Kerry’s response to the abortion question, once again ignores his comments that he would never appoint a Supreme Court Justice who was pro-life. He would instead, represent the “public’s opinion”. Well, which public? Does he suggest that any “orthodox” Catholic, (or Jew or even Muslim), who believe that birth is at conception, is automatically excluded from consideration? That may be as many as 40-50 million people in this country. Finally, I am impressed that a young man named Michael He, at the ripe old age of 19 or 20, has such historical and informed decisiveness on what defines the “American character”. Global deference to France,Germany and Russia is good, American leadership in its own best interest is bad, why not insist that Kerry is more qualified to the presidencybecause he is taller. Or is that one of the “worst American character traits” , as far as some shorter, foreign nations may believe .Sir, I hope you are at the beginning of your studies at U of R, because if this editorial represents the product of that very expensive education, additional classes in logic, reason and perhaps journalistic honesty would serve you well.Best wishes toward an enlightened futureRobert