Saturday, October 23, 2004

A Response to Wally Haas

Wally Haas from the Rockford Register Star wrote this article on Alan Keyes. Some points I could not let go unaddressed...

"Keyes has an impressive background. He worked for the National Security Council and was one of the U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations when Ronald Reagan was president. He has run for the U.S. Senate twice in Maryland and has taken two shots at the Republican presidential nomination."

I don't understand how any of these achievements by Keyes gives him a free pass to blatantly criticize those who disagree with his own personal moral judgments; to allow Keyes to decide what is right or wrong in anyone's eyes.

Haas goes on to write:

"It was unrealistic for people to expect out-of-stater Keyes, who was a late replacement for primary winner Jack Ryan, to speak about Illinois-specific issues before he had a chance to examine them."

Wait...Keyes did accept the nomination for United States Senator from Illinois. Are you telling me and the rest of Illinois voters that Keyes had no opportunities to research the issues most important to Illinois voters? And if he does have other ideas to share that will help Illinois, he has been given multiple opportunities to discuss them. Instead, he has chosen to spout his opinions on the evils of homosexuality and abortion, and accuse Obama of holding a slaveholder's position. Why make excuses for Keyes' behavior? Hass concluded his piece with:

"He's done his homework. Voters need to do the same."

I guess I am not exactly sure what Haas was implying, but here's my thought. Keyes has maintained a constant assault against those people who are different from him and his ideas. Keyes arrived in Illinois and was given further fortuity to spread his message that his beliefs were those of God. Keyes turned his back on the principle of separation of church and state, and he attempted to spread his negativity towards certain groups. Voters did their homework everytime they had to listen to something hate-filled Keyes said, and on November 2nd the lessons learned from their homework will show.