Since I'm starting this blog to share my opinions (and other people's opinions, discoveries, humor, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera) with a public that will, no doubt, be completely unaware of my existence, I figured I might as well start off commenting on something and someone controversial. At this point, the only people I'm in danger of offending are my husband and my 81 year-old mother, who may or may not have a working laptop at the moment. Therefore, I feel safe starting my ramblings by jumping into a much debated topic as addressed by a lightning-rod kind of author.
I read an article today by Ann Coulter, one of the conservative world's more colorful pundits. I don't always appreciate the acerbic nature of her commentary, although I frequently appreciate her humor, respect her opinion, and often agree with her general take on things. Today what I read was Ms. Coulter's reaction to the Duke Lacrosse team rape scandal. Many people object to Coulter's rather blunt style and caustic wit. However, her main points on the current situation at Duke are well worth reading. They include a tutorial on some simple things not to do if you would like to avoid being accused of rape, being raped, and setting yourself on fire. Her suggestions are quite practical, although some might find them offensively simplistic. However, since some people will object to cheese if it's not presented to them properly, I'm not going to worry about the easily offended. Her main point is one with which I agree heartily. The
Learning by experience that something is a mistake, and sharing that information with others in order to help them avoid similar mistakes is not hypocrisy. As a society, we have come to the point where we think that any one who's ever done drugs has lost the moral authority to say that people shouldn't do drugs, or that someone who slept around before they got married has no real ground to encourage abstinence in others. This is absolutely a ridiculous conclusion, as someone who has made bad choices and lived with the consequences is frequently extremely qualified to draw conclusions about where any number of mistakes can lead. Experience is still a good teacher, if we're willing to listen to those educated in its classrooms."...charge of "hypocrisy" has so permeated the public consciousness that no one is willing to condemn any behavior anymore, no matter how seedy. The unstated rule is: If you've done it, you can't ever criticize it -- a standard that would seem to repudiate the good works of the Rev. Franklin Graham, Malcolm X, Whittaker Chambers and St. Paul, among others."
Read the article for yourself to get Coulter's whole acerbic point of view.
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