Jordan River Forum

Blattert full of passionate ignorance While Cherry Blattert's editorial regarding consumer market confidence and employee retirement plans (July 29, "Mind your own lockbox") asserts some logical connections, the large portion of the article lacks of logical argument and historical evidence, relying more on personal conviction and a skewed concept of cause and effect. True to form, Ms. Blattert's argument is peppered by unqualified allegations, blind faith in conservative capitalism, lack of any historical context and unsubstantiated prejudices against liberals, democrats, communists and political dissenters. I agree with Ms. Blattert in that average working people should be concerned for their retirement in today's grim economy, but to assert that President Bush is a moral beacon in this world of corporate corruption is short of ludicrous. Of the five companies she names, only one began during the Clinton administration, with two launching a swift history of abuse under the Reagan/Bush term (Worldcom and Enron). The other two (Tyco and Xerox) began under Eisenhower and Roosevelt respectively, beginning much of their current abuse scandals during the Reagan/Bush years. Furthermore, both the Bush family and Vice-President Cheney have been explicitly implicated in the Enron and Worldcom scandals by accepting campaign contributions in the hundreds of thousands in return for leniency in enforcement of corporate business laws. A look at U.S. history shows that corporate corruption at the expense of working people is as old as the country itself, not a product of recent "moral relativism" infiltrating academia. Capitalism and morality have historically been mutually exclusive and often it has been socialists, communists and radical leftists who have made any substantial change in the corporate abuse cycle. Lastly, to propose that a social security plan be privatized after an argument bashing corporate corruption defies all reasoning. Essentially, Ms. Blattert is suggesting we invest in private corporate retirement programs to protect ourselves from market flux due to private corporate corruption. This simply makes no sense and is ridiculous to entertain, especially in light of the recent proof of the vast inefficacy of privatized health care. While passionate, her argument is devoid of logic, and history has taught us the dangers of passionate ignorance. Jason Raff
Junior What about open-mindedness towards Boy Scouts The Boy Scouts of America sought to uphold one constitutional principle in the Dale case, that of freedom of association provided in our Bill of Rights. That freedom only exists when others, with whom you disagree, are allowed to hold their views and express their opinions in the arena of ideas. Since we do not share a particular view of morality, then we are to be shunned and excluded from this great University? Where is the open-mindedness to our views? Where is the tolerance and constructive exploration on why scouts believe as we do? Where's the understanding that every individual or group does not have to adopt one politically correct view of the world? For its part, the local press has focused on the controversy surrounding one issue and ignored the thousands of individual stories of selfless service, devotion to country and family, brotherhood and fellowship. Over the years, the Boy Scouts and Order of the Arrow have produced leaders in every field of endeavor; presidents, professors, scientists and artists. There are thousands of the brightest and the best of America's youth at IU this week. I respectfully challenge the media to report on the great work these scouts have dedicated themselves to. The importance of this conference is not the controversy of a single issue. Rather, the most important story is the dedication of thousands of young people to the ideals of cheerful service. Nelson Dollar
Cary, North Carolina