Low’s ‘Ignornace is not bliss’ op-ed is condescending

Daily during my four years in Bloomington and whenever I have had the chance in the past two years, I have always enjoyed reading the op-eds the IDS has to offer. As a moderate Republican, I rarely agreed with the opinions presented but always enjoyed reading other opinions and occasionally learned something or tweaked my opinion from the pieces. From time to time, one could be ridiculous, but I don’t ever remember one that was as condescending as Grace Low’s “Ignorance is not bliss.” \nThroughout the article, she discussed primarily the First Amendment and the equal protection clause in the Fourteenth Amendment, but then twists her personal ideologies into fact, while dismissing anyone who disagrees with her version of history not having the “slightest clue what the Constitution entails.” It was very impressive that she wrote off two-thirds of Americans as being clueless. \nMy reason for writing isn’t to challenge her opinions. I recognize the theory that the American Constitution is a “living document,” but she presents that as fact and dismisses the theory of “originalism” in constitutional scholarship. While most people can see logic in the argument that the founders did not intend for us to be a Christian nation and respect the opinion, two-thirds of adult Americans believe that the founders did intend for us to be a Christian nation to some extent or another. I believe they did intend for us to be a Christian nation, and we are to the tune of 78 percent, though we have no officially sanctioned religion.\nAs I read further, she dismisses the 75 percent of adult Americans who would censor the wardrobes of school children underneath her category of those without a clue. On this issue, she not only has three-fourths of the country disagreeing with her, but also the Supreme Court and most school boards. Children aren’t allowed to wear anything they want to at school, and in my opinion, nor should they. Ms. Low seems to be arguing in absolutes, and that is a dangerous way to use the power of the pen – especially with college students. Her opinions and thoughts deserve to be heard, but her intolerance and condescension for those with different ideas do not. Ms. Low should learn the definition of a pluralistic society and needs to accept the fact that not everyone who disagrees is doing it because they are ignorant. \nI look forward to continuing to read the Opinion page of the IDS and accepting that there is usually more than one acceptable opinion on most issues.