A Liberal Unintentionally Exposes Liberalism

In a pathetic and disgusting attempt to politicize the human tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, New York Times’ op-ed columnist Nicholas D. Kristof has perfectly illustrated the reason that modern liberalism completely fails those it professes to help. In his September 6th column , Kristof proclaims, “The wretchedness coming across our television screens from Louisiana has… underscored the Bush administration's ongoing reluctance or ineptitude in helping the poorest Americans.” Kristof's classic Bush-bashing column comes complete with standard liberal drivel such as “funds may have gone to Iraq rather than to the levees in New Orleans,” and “money went to tax cuts for the wealthiest rather than vaccinations for children.” The logic behind both arguments is so weak that any average high school debate team member could quickly reduce it to the rubbish it is.

More appalling, however, is that in his twisted attempt to denigrate the President, Kristof excuses those who looted and ravaged the city of New Orleans by comparing what was seen in New Orleans to what he saw when covering a 1995 earthquake in Kobe, Japan. According to Kristof, Japanese citizens committed no looting or criminal activity of any kind in the aftermath of the Kobe earthquake, but the incredible aspect of Kristof's commentary is his explanation of the contrast in the behavior of the Kobe residents and that of the New Orleans residents.

In explaining this contrast, Kristof states, “Japan has tried hard to stitch all Japanese together into the nation's social fabric. In contrast, the U.S. - particularly under the Bush administration - has systematically cut people out of the social fabric by redistributing wealth from the most vulnerable Americans to the most affluent.” Kristof's ludicrous point is that government, specifically the Bush administration, is to blame for the depravity of the thugs who committed these crimes in New Orleans.

Kristof's comments illuminate the deception of modern liberalism, which seeks to excuse, and in the process defeats, the individual. Modern liberalism absolves the individual of personal responsibility by passing to the government all responsibility for care of the individual. In the absence of any sense of personal responsibility, the individual is robbed of initiative and begins to mistakenly believe that 1) government can do a better job of caring for the individual than can the individual himself, and 2) the individual is entitled to be cared for by the government.

This entitlement mentality, combined with the lack of any sense of personal responsibility, carries over into every aspect of the individual's life. The student is entitled to receive a passing grade whether or not it has been earned. The unemployed is entitled to a job whether or not he is qualified. The employee is entitled to a promotion whether or not his productivity warrants it. The poor are entitled to become thugs and to loot other people's property because the government has "systematically cut people out of the social fabric."

This mentality creates in the individual an excuse for every failure. If the student fails, it's the teacher's fault. If the employee is not promoted, it's the employer's fault. If the poor remain poor, it's the government's fault.

Every successful businessman, every successful coach or athlete, every successful person in every walk of life will testify to the fact that the surest way to ensure failure is to make excuses. Yet modern liberalism breeds a culture of excuse, thereby ensuring failure for those who allow themselves to be deceived by its dogma.

Thank you Mr. Kristof for illustrating for America what liberalism really means.