Christine O'Donnell and the people's republic

I caught by accident a section of Christine O’Donnell’s “debate,” which aired recently on CNN, where she again thankfully affirmed that she is not a witch.

She might not know much about the Supreme Court and have odd views about masturbation, but she is not a witch.

In the midst of the longest, most painful recession for United States citizens since the Great Depression, it’s important to know that no witches are being elected to the Senate.

And is there actually anyone naive enough not only to believe in witches (no Wiccans, you’re not actually witches any more than Dennis Miller is a comedian), but also to think that O’Donnell would ever attempt to pass anti-masturbation legislation?

While the content of political candidates’ character can reveal how they would apply that as a legislator, the revelations of O’Donnell’s anti-masturbation agenda, personal financial struggles and not-being-a witch status have no implications in actual legislation and serve no purpose.

Part of the greatness in democracy is the idea that anyone can grow up and be mayor, senator or even president. While this idea, similar to the “American Dream,” is so often painfully untrue, it’s also the most positive thing going for O’Donnell’s campaign.

O’Donnell, similar to several other Tea Party candidates, has faced severe criticism for what should be praised. She is a working class citizen who has struggled and has worked to get what she has.

Meanwhile the media remains silent about the fact that many of these candidates offer no actual policy differences from the Republican mainstream. The candidates often seem particularly unaware of U.S. political and constitutional issues beyond abortion, taxes and guns.

O’Donnell might be as out of place in discussions of science and evolution as Kirk Cameron is, as she showed when brought on a show to continue the meaningless science versus Creationism culture war. But her attempts to be a people’s representative should be appreciated by people of all political leanings.

You don’t have to agree with a person’s political opinions, and I generally disagree with every position that O’Donnell and her ilk have. But the desire of actual representation by new faces, new people not entrenched in the same nepotistic and crony-laden environment, is part of one of the central ideals of the U.S. — that all people are created equal.

And while this equality doesn’t extend to personal capacities, as most people will never have any chance to reach Stephen Hawking’s intellectual level, a star athlete’s physical capabilities or sing similar to Sam Cooke, we are all at the most personal level equal as citizens of a democratic country.

The U.S. Congress is not the House of Lords, and everyone has the right to try to change the government and have a stronger role in the government that affects them.

To focus on a candidate’s personal struggles as a working class citizen, which has been done with O’Donnell, detracts from the ability to actually view and debate the merit of her positions. It also suggests that the only people fit to run the country are those who don’t know what it actually is to have an overdrafted bank account or not enough money to buy food.


E-mail: mrstraw@indiana.edu