Columnists misinterprets Christian conservatism
To the Daily:
I agreed whole-heartedly with Joel Hoard’s column (The Evolution of Creationism, 01/27/2005) until he reached his final sentence. I am a conservative Christian, a Catholic to be precise. I am a conservative in the truest sense of the word. Conservatives conserve. I don’t buy faddish clothes that I’ll only wear once, I turn off all unused items that draw electricity, I use as little paper as possible and recycle what paper I do use. When I fish, I eat what I catch and am extremely careful not to damage the fish that are thrown back.
As a conservative, I believe in parents playing a large role in their children’s education. I expect an honest day’s labor will be rewarded with an honest wage. I expect people to have different opinions and believe that our differing states were created so that like-minded people could live under one country, but live in different manners. I loathe some bureaucrat in Washington telling me how to raise my children and wasting my hard-earned money on frivolous waste. And I expect that when my children leave to go off to college, there will be someone willing to work so that all parents need not believe that children’s lives are in danger. This is why we have a military to defend our children from threats such as the Soviet and Nazi.
As a Christian, I believe in charity, forgiveness, duty, faith and love. We should provide safety nets for those who are unfortunate, but we shouldn’t allow those safety nets to become permanent fixtures in an individual’s life.
As a conservative Christian, I realize people have different beliefs than mine on nearly every subject, but I hold to a strict code of behavior. People are responsible for their own actions. Yes, there are mitigating circumstances for any action, but in the end, we must fess up our involvement when we do something wrong. I know my beliefs might not be yours, so when I am in public, I make an effort to be modest. I realize that many people are offended by profanity, nudity, conversations that make light of sexual activities, inappropriate jokes, etc.
That’s why when in public, I, as a conservative Christian, make the attempt to not force other people to hear about my private life, and I expect the same from everyone else in return.
What you do in private is no one else’s business, but once you step into public, there are standards of behavior that make human interaction easier on us all. I don’t hide my heritage, but I don’t flaunt it.
I don’t know what you think a conservative Christian is, but if you look across America, you will find the conservative Christian is much more like the one I have described and not like the one you imagine. Conservative Christians across America are not stubborn, hard-headed religious zealots bent on forcing their beliefs on others. I believe the best examples of conservative Christian is the Amish, and you would be a fool to think they force their beliefs on anyone.
If you meant to talk about zealots, then state zealots, don’t hide behind the catch phrase “conservative Christian.” What you are doing is surmountable to the right-wing extremists who have bastardized the word liberal.
Some people would claim that you are a liberal for what you wrote, nothing could be further from the truth. To be a liberal, you must be tolerant and open minded toward everyone, even the people who hold beliefs you loathe. A wise man once said, “I may not like what you have to say, but I’ll fight for your right to say it.” An even wiser man taught that when someone insults you, the best course of action is to politely accept the insult and carry on, all the while praying for that person’s soul.
As a conservative Christian, I would be flattered if someone in good faith
called me a liberal.
Matthew Buszek
LSA junior
North Quad initiative a commendable first step
To the Daily:
During this past fall semester, the University experienced its largest incoming freshman class. This increase will exacerbate the already strained housing problems at University of Michigan and within Ann Arbor. The University’s residence halls can currently accommodate about 40 percent of undergraduates, yet students increasingly want to live in campus housing when the option is available. The development of the Frieze site (North Quad Plan Approved, 01/27/2005), as the first new dorm constructed since 1967, promises help combat the housing crisis. Although some community members oppose the demolition of this structure on historical grounds, we feel the need for student housing outweighs the negatives.
The location chosen will be the most beneficial to the University and to the community at large. In choosing this site, the University will be able to greatly improve on building that has fallen into disrepair since its closure as a high school in 1956, as well as introduce a mixed academic and residential space that will ensure the vitality of the student body.
Most importantly, this initiative will increase the supply of University-owned housing in the heart of the city. This idea is in line with the desires of the Downtown Residential Task Force, which aims to increase density in downtown Ann Arbor. Moreover, with an increase in students and members of the academic community in the area around State Street, businesses will enjoy an increase in patronage.
This initiative is a great opportunity for the University to take a first step toward ensuring the availability and quality of student housing in Ann Arbor. It should not, however, be seen as the ultimate solution to housing problems at the University and in Ann Arbor. While we applaud the University for its decision, much more still needs to be accomplished to ensure that the University of Michigan continues its commitment to excellence—both academically and as a member of the Ann Arbor community.
Chris Flack
LSA junior
Media Coordinator, Students for PIRGIM
Joe Cialdella
LSA freshman
Member of Students for PIRGIM
Brittany Fox
LSA senior
Chair, MSA External Relations Committee
Sharon Graham
LSA senior
Chair, MSA Environmental
Issues Commission