Opinion
UmNNH
The Battalion
Page H * Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Partisan bickering
D rlU jge dropped the hall when he reported unsubstantiated claims about Kerry
he Fox News Channel deserves
congratulations. That is not a typo.
The conservative news network
upheld its journalistic integrity — what
ever little it had to begin with — by not
reporting on a Web rumor that
Democratic presidential front-runner
Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts
had had an affair.
It began when online muckraker
Matt Drudge posted a story on his
Web site, drudgereport.com, on Feb. 12. The report con
cerned what Drudge called a “frantic behind-the-scenes
drama” unfolding around Kerry due to media probes of his
supposed infidelity with an intern. Drudge said Time maga
zine, The Associated Press, The Hill, The Washington Post
and ABC News were investigating the rumor with the inter
esting tidbit that Kerry may have made the woman flee to
Africa to avoid any leak of their relationship.
The same story also included an alleged quote by Gen.
Wesley Clark, "Kerry will implode over an intern issue." The
woman’s father was quoted in the British tabloid. The Sun, as calling
Kerry a “sleazeball.”
The conservative media was quick to pick up on the story. Rush
Limbaugh and Sean Hannity both reported alxmt it on their popu
lar radio programs. However, Fox News apparently told
Hannity not to mention the Kerry rumors on his TV show
Hannity and Colmes,” according to conservative news
Web site chronwatch.com.
Since then, any indication that the rumor had a
basis in reality unraveled when the woman in
question, Alexandra Polier, said in a statement
that she had never had a relationship with
Kerry, according to USA Today.
Furthermore, her father claimed that he
had been misquoted by The Sun and even
intended to vote for Kerry. The Clark
quote also doesn’t make sense considering
he dropped out of the race the next day and
went on to endorse Kerry.
Drudge posting the rumor and submitting it
as truth is an indication that partisan politics dur
ing this election year will have the potential to be
quite ugly, especially when it involves the Internet.
Fortunately, the American people now know that
such mudslinging will be balanced by cautioned and
restrained reporting by major media outlets.
At the very least. Drudge should have had the con
sideration of coming up with an original scandal. A
story on a prominent Democrat having an affair with an
intern is woefully unimaginative.
Of course, conservatives such as Limbaugh say the lack of
reporting on the Kerry rumor betrayed a liberal bias on the part of
the media, according to USA Today. Conservatives say there’s a
double standard between the way the Kerry rumor was handled
and the current media frenzy over Bush’s attendance during
his National Guard duty.
But Leonard Downie, The Post’s executive editor,
explained best how the media should handle such rumors:
“One: Is it true? Two: Is it relevant to that person’s performance
or public life?” he told USA Today.
Unfortunately, this is not the only attempted Kerry smear that
originated online. A photo depicting Kerry with anti-Vietnam
War activist Jane Fonda at a speaker’s platform created ani
mosity toward Kerry among many Vietnam veterans.
There’s a problem with the photo, however; it is a complete
forgery. In fact, the photo is a doctored amalga
mation of a photo of Kerry taken in Mineola,
N.Y., on June 13, 1971, and a photo of Fonda
at a rally in Miami, Fla., in 1972.
Furthermore, the photo was attached with
the AP logo to make it appear authentic. It is
OK if someone doesn’t like Kerry, but to fraud
ulently use copyrighted works in an attempt to
defame him is not only wrong, but immoral.
The most likely reason why conservatives are so intent on
smearing Kerry is because they have a genuine fear of him. He
an intelligent person, a war hero and a four-term senator with a
moderate voting record. President George W. Bush, on the
other hand, has had a terrible 2.004. His State of the
Union address was full of feckless content. Also,
David Kay concluded that there were no weapons
of mass destruction in Iraq. Conservatives and lib
erals alike thought Bush performed poorly on his
“Meet the Press” interview with former Ronald
Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan, stating
for opinionjournal.com, “The president
seemed tired, unsure and often bumbling.”
Not to mention the National Guard flap that
the president and his handlers can’t make go
away. It is not surprising some conservatives
would do anything to bring Kerry down.
Even if what they come up with is totally false,
the Internet has the power to spread these falsities
worldwide with unprecedented speed. Web surfers should
be extra skeptical of any fantastic Web rumors. Here’s a
good litmus test: If Fox News passes on the opportunity to
report on something negative about a Democrat, it must not
be true.
Collins Ezeanyim is a senior
computer engineering major.
Graphic by Chris Griffin
Disqualification of reformers
spells trouble for Iranians
Hove further debilitates the election process in Iran
[ nthe Middle East, countries with elections are
W to come by, and absolute dictators
abound. Thus, the fact that Iran continued to
loldelections for its representative body, the
Majlis, and assorted lesser offices was amazing.
Although these elections are not truly free like
ftosein a democracy, they still gave the average
itanian a way to express himself to the political
files in the Islamic Republic.
Botnow the hard-line conservative clerics at
ftehead of the “republic” are in fear of losing
Swer after gains by moderates in the 2000 elections, and have
ten conducting a steady campaign to retake control of all levels of
legovernment. This culminated last week with the disqualification
ftnorethan 2,000 reform candidates in the general election,
Wing to the British Broadcasting Corp.
Although moderates protested in an open let-
jttto the Ayatollah Khamenei, and urged sup-
niters to stay away from the polls, they were
feted in elections over the weekend. This
lange bodes poorly for the freedom of the aver-
|Iranian. It may have permanently destroyed
leefforts of reformers, and it surely changes the
feign policy equation in the region.
The conservative Council of Guardians, a 12-
nember body appointed by Ayatollah, carried
«Uthe disqualifications less than a week before
elections were to occur. The disqualifica-
ioris essentially eliminated any chance reform-
tshad of winning by eliminating the reformers
lemselves. In protest, the refonners urged sup-
biters to stay away from the polls and wrote
bopen letter to the Ayatollah questioning the
Klgment of the council, according to the BBC.
Writing a letter openly questioning the leadership of a man who
ipposedly makes decisions based on divine guidance was an
nprecedented step. The letter, likely authored by the 80 members
ftbe Majlis who were unable to run for re-election, asked if the
Ayatollah had allowed the council to openly disobey his wish that
wne of the disqualified candidates be reinstated, or if he simply
led to the reformists. However, the letter did not change the ruling
lithe council.
On top of the disqualifications, the reform movement is facing
Altering support. After it rode a wave of discontent to power in
Actions in 1997 and 2000, its supporters gradually became disillu
sioned with the reformers. This was because while there has been
some relaxation of social rules, the reformers have been unable to
foie any substantive changes. Aware of this, moderate President
feami asked for moderates to turn out to the polls to prevent a
clean sweep by conservatives.
He failed in his efforts, however, as conservatives look certain to
obtain a majority with most of the votes already counted. But the
conservatives’ victory is not likely to be viewed as a mandate,
either at home or abroad. The voter turnout in the election was one
of the lowest since the 1979 revolution, just 50.6 percent, according
to the BBC.
The lack of legitimacy of the election could haunt Iran in the
future. The people are clearly not happy with the hard-liners, but
are not very happy with the moderates either. The honeymoon with
the clerical rulers seems over, as the populace desires greater per
sonal freedom, which the current theocracy prohibits. If the current
regime wishes to remain in control despite this erosion of its power,
it may have to yield on some domestic issues.
Internal strife in Iran will make the hard-liners vulnerable inter
nationally as well. Without a broad power base, Iran’s theocracy
may either be pressured more easily, or turn to “deals with the
devil” to keep control.
From the American perspective, this will
result in either improvement in relations with
Iran or a serious deterioration. The positive
aspect could be realized by moves by Iran sim
ilar to those made by Libya recently. Like
Libya, the leaders of Iran have no real inten
tion of becoming good global citizens, but
they may wish to reduce the number of ene
mies they have.
This is especially pertinent with regard to
the United States, which has several divisions
in Iraq, just over the river from Iran. Faced
with weakened internal support and no mad
dictator across the border, the theocrats may
want to strike a deal where they patch things
up with the United States over sore points such
as weapons of mass destruction.
But they could also choose an opposing
route, trying to consolidate things at home by making a common
cause against an overseas enemy, like the United States. If things
progress down this path, events could get messy both for Iranians
and the United States. With the United States heavily involved in
Iraq, it would be a serious problem if Iran were to become a safe
haven for those who want to stop efforts to bring peace there. It
may be fortuitous for the United States to try to broker a deal with
the weakened clerics like the one recently done with the Libyans.
The changes wrought in the Iranian political landscape by this
election will have far-reaching effects. Domestically, Iranian clerics
will have to heed at least some of the criticism of the populace;
their free ride is over. And in the international spectrum, a change
in the direction of Iran’s foreign policy may be ahead. But, only
time will tell how drastic these changes may be.
David Shoemaker is a junior
management major.
MAIL CALL
Christians are persecuted, too
I am sick of opening The Battalion to the mail call section and
reading how I am a close-minded, ultra-conservative fool
because I don’t approve of homosexuality. I am fed up of hear
ing what a hard-knock life it is because people disagree with
that lifestyle. I know about persecution as much as anyone.
Christians have been the most persecuted group throughout
history.
There have been a reported 45 million Christian martyrs in
the 20th century. A study done by Regents University showed
that more than 164,000 Christians were killed because of their
beliefs throughout the world in 1999 alone. Why does that
never make headlines?
I am also tired of the double standard that is constantly being
used. In reference to Mr. Abel’s column, he stated that groups
participating in a “straight pride” day were engaged in a bigot
ed activity. My question to this is why can’t people be proud of
being straight? Why is it okay to have a gay pride day, but not
a straight pride day? What is the difference?
You cry for tolerance, but yet you show none yourself. If you
want people to be tolerant of your views you should be tolerant
of their views, and stop screaming “BIGOT!” when someone
disagrees with you.
Nathan Moore
Class of 2006
Gays are not being denied marriage
In response to a Feb. 23 news article:
I don't understand how human rights are being violated. I
don't see anywhere that these people are being denied the civil
right to marry. Any gay man or woman can marry, no one ever
said they cannot. They just have to marry a member of the
opposite sex I am a heterosexual woman, and I can't marry
another woman. Are my civil rights being violated? 1 don't think
they are.
I have the right to marry anyone from the opposite sex, just
as long as he isn’t related to me. There is no law declaring that
homosexuals cannot marry.
Margaret Marrs-Mayfield
Class of 2003
DAVID
SHOEMAKER
This change bodes
poorly for the freedom of
the average Iranian. It may
have permanently
destroyed the efforts of
reformers, and it surely
changes the foreign policy
equation in the region.