The Observer, April 14, 2006
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 24
Free Speech Zone: Columnist misunderstands painting's source
To the Editor:
When I learned that Christopher Thomas would be taking over the "conservative column" for The Observer, I was very pleased. The previous columnist inspired no such sentiment – his work was simply a waste of my time, three minutes every week spent on readings which never increased or even altered my understanding of anything. While Thomas and I agree on relatively little, I have great respect for his work and his ability to analyze situations from an impartial and fair perspective. With him writing, I look forward to the "The Right Mindset" more than I ever imagined possible.
That said, I found last week's "The Right Mindset," about a stencil of the president being shot, initially disappointing for its inaccurate analysis. I say initially because I feel the need to give Thomas the benefit of the doubt. I suspect he simply missed (or misunderstood) the important detail that wholly changes the meaning of the stencil he was commenting on.
While what Thomas described in his piece is sprayed on the kiosk at the top of the elephant stairs, there is also more. The stencil also reads "No More Presidents" right below the depiction of President Bush.
Although I haven't been extremely active in the Democratic Party, as far as I know they are not opposed to presidents per se. In fact, they would prefer if the president was from their party. What these three words tell us is that this stencil is in fact anarchist (opposed to all forms of government and hierarchy), or possibly communist, both of which vehemently denounce association with the Democratic Party, and vice versa.
There are two things I wish Thomas would more readily admit. First is that while the Democratic Party is the current opposition it is a loyal one and secondly that the Democrats do not ascribe to the philosophy that the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
We'll consider this everyone's political theory lesson for the week and put this misunderstanding behind us. I look forward to his column this week.
Cory Kates
Undergraduate Student
