Column: The Contingency Plan
Democratic efforts are too little, too late
Andrew Warner
Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: Opinion
The latest demonstration by the University of Cincinnati College Democrats was tasteful, elegant and well-intentioned.
Too bad it was a waste of time.
The laying of flags, one for each American soldier that has lost his or her life (the countless innocent Iraqis went unmentioned, of course), is sweet, but it's politically bankrupt.
Now before you lose faith in The Contingency Plan and claim I don't care about our troops, think again. The soldiers that are fighting, and especially those who have lost their lives, deserve to be honored, remembered and revered. If you find someone who feels differently, give me a call - it'd make a great story.
The problem I have is not with the message. It's a fine message. It's just not the message we need from Democrats (who are sometimes against the war - when it's politically convenient at least) right now.
In fact, it's the same message I got when I talked with Erin Shearer, chairwoman of the UC College Republicans.
"It's an excellent example of 'freedom of speech,'" Shearer said of the ceremony. "[It] is a tasteful representation of the many lives lost in the war on terror."
During the actual laying of the flags, the Democrats were up in arms and full of fire while forwarding their controversial and pointed message of "supporting the troops."
"We wanted to do something to show we support the troops, not necessarily the war," Marie Blessinger, a fourth-year political science student told The News Record.
You can tell these Democrats put some time in on the John Kerry campaign in 2004 because they've learned the political art of moving their lips while not actually saying anything.
"If they can serve us by going to Iraq, we can survive a couple hours in the cold," Blessinger said. "It's the least that we can do."
Blessinger's right on that one. It is the very least the College Democrats can do. As Democrats have historically drifted toward the center of the political spectrum, they have learned to let the so-called "fringe groups" do all of the heavy lifting for them.
Too bad it was a waste of time.
The laying of flags, one for each American soldier that has lost his or her life (the countless innocent Iraqis went unmentioned, of course), is sweet, but it's politically bankrupt.
Now before you lose faith in The Contingency Plan and claim I don't care about our troops, think again. The soldiers that are fighting, and especially those who have lost their lives, deserve to be honored, remembered and revered. If you find someone who feels differently, give me a call - it'd make a great story.
The problem I have is not with the message. It's a fine message. It's just not the message we need from Democrats (who are sometimes against the war - when it's politically convenient at least) right now.
In fact, it's the same message I got when I talked with Erin Shearer, chairwoman of the UC College Republicans.
"It's an excellent example of 'freedom of speech,'" Shearer said of the ceremony. "[It] is a tasteful representation of the many lives lost in the war on terror."
During the actual laying of the flags, the Democrats were up in arms and full of fire while forwarding their controversial and pointed message of "supporting the troops."
"We wanted to do something to show we support the troops, not necessarily the war," Marie Blessinger, a fourth-year political science student told The News Record.
You can tell these Democrats put some time in on the John Kerry campaign in 2004 because they've learned the political art of moving their lips while not actually saying anything.
"If they can serve us by going to Iraq, we can survive a couple hours in the cold," Blessinger said. "It's the least that we can do."
Blessinger's right on that one. It is the very least the College Democrats can do. As Democrats have historically drifted toward the center of the political spectrum, they have learned to let the so-called "fringe groups" do all of the heavy lifting for them.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
kralllm
LK
posted 3/01/07 @ 1:42 PM EST
I disagree. Saying that they don't support the war, but support the troops is exactly what they are doing. They were honoring the men that have fallen for a lost cause. (Continued…)
The Dean of Cincinnati
posted 3/01/07 @ 4:07 PM EST
Hmmm... What's the campus Green Party doing these days? They could be a force to pull the campus Dems to the left...
Maureen
posted 3/01/07 @ 7:15 PM EST
They could have used that $715.48 to fix a non-armored vehicle and physically helped the troops.
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