Newspapers / Brevard College Student Newspaper / Sept. 17, 2010, edition 1 / Page 4
Part of Brevard College Student Newspaper / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Page 4 The Clarion \ Sept. 17,2010 Tea bagged by the Tea Party: Student opinion OBAMA THEfJ AND NOW Cartoon by Karam Boeshaar Reader: 'American Hero' demeaning to real heroes to the Dear Editor, Thank you for your hard work to publish the Clarion. Concerning the publication of the “American Hero” article the runs every week, I would ask that it be removed or renamed. I find it to be quite cynical and sensational. I understand there are a lot of people in our country who do and say stupid things, and I am grieved when those people are the ones who represent us in the nation and international community. Why must we mockingly call them “American Heroes”? How is it profitable to our country and college to associate such men with heroism or America? While I understand the articles serve to laughingly degrade these individuals, it additionally smudges the concepts of America and heroism. I hope we don't look with disdain upon America, just because others have or because of past experiences. I believe America to be the greatest country, being the first true democracy. Yes, there are smudges on Lady Liberty's face, since her inception to her current maturity, and yes, there are many things I disagree with in America, and yes, I believe we have quite an arrogant spirit in the world—but I would advocate that criticizing and demeaning our nation and its representatives is not the answer to this problem. I am not suggesting we ignore our errors, but let us handle them differently—as if they were our family, not hoping to parade about their faults to the world, making a mockery of them, but addressing them in truth, and love, and forgiveness. Might we guide one another in humble introspection to say, “Clearly what this man did was wrong; do I do this as well in other areas of my life? How might I be different?” May your newspaper exhibit this kind of humility, expressing a love for America and her citizens—and for Brevard College also. I know, at times, I struggle with having this perspective as well, loving people as I have been loved, but I ask that you would strive to do the same. I believe a good way to exhibit this would be to remove that section or rename it and alter its perspective and approach. Bryan Koffman Editor’s response: The “American Hero" is a feature The Clarion runs to “poke fun ” at persons prominent in that week’s news for doing things we deem to be un-American. In so doing, we attempt to provide social commentary on the state of affairs in our nation and to hold those featured accountable for their actions. We certainly do not intend to ridicule or demean actual American heroes who sacrifice so much on behalf of our nation. By Zack Christy Staff Writer Tuesday night in, Delaware Christine O’ Donnell won the GOP nomination for the Senate over republican Mike Castle who had previously served in the House of Representatives for eight terms. I’m not saying that I’m against new faces in politics at all. In fact I think that it’s impressive that the GOP would let a woman run. My problem is that O’Donnell is a Tea Party candidate. Perhaps it is a bit premature for me to be going into a mini panic attack over one little nomination, but at the same time — come on. How can someone who has no idea about the original Boston Tea Party represent a party bearing its name? The original Boston Tea Party wasn’t over the tax on tea; it was about taxation without representation. In America today we are very well represented, and the taxes that the Tea Party are so fanatic against are the Bush tax cuts that republican’s in Congress wish to make permanent. Obama hasn’t been able to change taxes yet so why are they fighting against government? Let’s not forget that last time we had a republican congress we were rewarded with the Patriot Act, which gave the government the ability to look through phone records and text messages without a warrant. If you want less government — which if I am not mistaken is a platform of the Tea Party — then it seems strange to run for the very positions in the government that you are trying do away with. Okay, let’s say your plan is to dismantle the system from within. You still can’t deny that our economy is in shambles. Extending tax cuts, or better yet cutting them even further, is no way to stimulate an economy. Ask any economist, giving money back to the people simply doesn’t provide much “bang for the buck” as far as the U.S. economy is concerned. Putting tax revenue towards job creation, and giving aid to the states are much more effective ways of getting the money flowing. These tax cuts were not the cause of the recession, but lower taxes isn’t going to fix anything if nobody has a job. The argument that lower taxes would stimulate private economy simply doesn’t hold water in economic principle - lower taxes raise government debt which raises interest rates, i.e. BAD for the economy. I am all for Americans standing up for what they believe in, but what I can’t stand is ignorant people with no sense of American history or the way the government works parading around streets making us look like idiots to the rest of the world. E] Letters Policy The Clarion welcomes letters to the editor. We reserve the right to edit letters for length or content. We do not publish anonymous letters or those whose authorship cannot be verified. E-mail: clarion@brevard.edu.
Brevard College Student Newspaper
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Sept. 17, 2010, edition 1
4
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75