| GREG-STRANGE.COM |
"If you haven't found something strange during the
day, it hasn't been much of a day." -- John A. Wheeler
day, it hasn't been much of a day." -- John A. Wheeler
PROVIDING SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTARY ON THE
PEOPLE, POLITICS, EVENTS AND ABSURDITIES OF
OUR TIME. SERVED UP WITH ACERBIC WIT, YOU
SHOULD FIND IT QUITE SATISFYING.
PEOPLE, POLITICS, EVENTS AND ABSURDITIES OF
OUR TIME. SERVED UP WITH ACERBIC WIT, YOU
SHOULD FIND IT QUITE SATISFYING.
Bennett-Bashing Bombast
"William Bennett joins the self-elected moral crusaders who
preach virtuous living, but do just the opposite." ". . . he
controls a flock of sheep who blindly hang onto every word this
hypocrite utters."
There you have it in two contemptuous sentences, the coarse
sentiments of an editorial letter writer and dyed-in-the-wool
William Bennett hater, revelling in the long-hoped-for
downfall of the object of his scorn. And who can blame the
letter writer? What could be more despicable than one who
publicly espouses high moral standards? And what could be
more satisfying than to catch such a person with a moral
failing of his own?
Of course, an argument can be made as to whether or not his
recently publicized gambling actually constitutes a moral
failing, and if it does, whether or not that automatically makes
him a hypocrite deserving of our derision. As far as I know we
are all morally imperfect, but have every right to speak about
moral issues.
But let's assume the worst for a moment and say that
Bennett is indeed a hypocrite. Okay, therefore what? What is
it that the Bennett haters want to happen? For him to be run
out of town on a rail? Tarred and feathered? Or simply
shamed off the national stage as a moral commentator?
Why is it that so many people hate William Bennett? The
biggest reason may be that most Bennett haters are moral
relativists, which is to say they don't like moral judgmentalism
when it comes to behaviors which they consider to be private
and/or unharmful to others. That includes things like drug
use, sexual promiscuity, abortion, adultery and the like.
So they hate Bennett because he has the unmitigated
temerity to discuss in the public arena the moral downside of
such behaviors. Moral relativists don't like such public
discussions because they don't want society laying guilt trips
on anyone for libertine, indulgent or questionable behaviors.
They just want everybody to be able to pretty much do whatever
they want as long as it doesn't physically harm another person
at that instant.
Another reason people hate Bill Bennett is because they
believe he has placed himself on a higher moral plane than the
rest of us and they find that to be infuriatingly condescending.
But when did Bennett ever publicly claim to be on a higher
moral plane than everyone else?
The fact is, his writings and speeches about moral standards
aren't personal declarations of perfection or
self-righteousness. They are ideals to which he believes the
individuals of any decent society ought to aspire and which,
even if not fully attained, make a society better simply for
having been sought.
Disgusting, isn't it? No wonder people hate him.
All facetiousness aside, the intolerance and the nastiness of
the Bennett haters are really rather breathtaking. The country
is better off for having people like William Bennett around
because it needs all the moral commentary it can get. What the
country might be better off without are the Bennett haters who
want society to be devoid of any public expressions of moral
judgmentalism and who think that hypocrisy is the worst sin
anyone can commit. If it is, then we're all in trouble because,
as the old saying goes, "Everybody's a hypocrite."
Bill Bennett has never claimed to be perfect nor better than
everyone else. He has put out in his writings and speeches his
ideas about what kinds of moral standards he believes would
make society better if adhered to. If you can hate somebody for
that, then your own personal standards of morality might be in
serious need of examination.
"William Bennett joins the self-elected moral crusaders who
preach virtuous living, but do just the opposite." ". . . he
controls a flock of sheep who blindly hang onto every word this
hypocrite utters."
There you have it in two contemptuous sentences, the coarse
sentiments of an editorial letter writer and dyed-in-the-wool
William Bennett hater, revelling in the long-hoped-for
downfall of the object of his scorn. And who can blame the
letter writer? What could be more despicable than one who
publicly espouses high moral standards? And what could be
more satisfying than to catch such a person with a moral
failing of his own?
Of course, an argument can be made as to whether or not his
recently publicized gambling actually constitutes a moral
failing, and if it does, whether or not that automatically makes
him a hypocrite deserving of our derision. As far as I know we
are all morally imperfect, but have every right to speak about
moral issues.
But let's assume the worst for a moment and say that
Bennett is indeed a hypocrite. Okay, therefore what? What is
it that the Bennett haters want to happen? For him to be run
out of town on a rail? Tarred and feathered? Or simply
shamed off the national stage as a moral commentator?
Why is it that so many people hate William Bennett? The
biggest reason may be that most Bennett haters are moral
relativists, which is to say they don't like moral judgmentalism
when it comes to behaviors which they consider to be private
and/or unharmful to others. That includes things like drug
use, sexual promiscuity, abortion, adultery and the like.
So they hate Bennett because he has the unmitigated
temerity to discuss in the public arena the moral downside of
such behaviors. Moral relativists don't like such public
discussions because they don't want society laying guilt trips
on anyone for libertine, indulgent or questionable behaviors.
They just want everybody to be able to pretty much do whatever
they want as long as it doesn't physically harm another person
at that instant.
Another reason people hate Bill Bennett is because they
believe he has placed himself on a higher moral plane than the
rest of us and they find that to be infuriatingly condescending.
But when did Bennett ever publicly claim to be on a higher
moral plane than everyone else?
The fact is, his writings and speeches about moral standards
aren't personal declarations of perfection or
self-righteousness. They are ideals to which he believes the
individuals of any decent society ought to aspire and which,
even if not fully attained, make a society better simply for
having been sought.
Disgusting, isn't it? No wonder people hate him.
All facetiousness aside, the intolerance and the nastiness of
the Bennett haters are really rather breathtaking. The country
is better off for having people like William Bennett around
because it needs all the moral commentary it can get. What the
country might be better off without are the Bennett haters who
want society to be devoid of any public expressions of moral
judgmentalism and who think that hypocrisy is the worst sin
anyone can commit. If it is, then we're all in trouble because,
as the old saying goes, "Everybody's a hypocrite."
Bill Bennett has never claimed to be perfect nor better than
everyone else. He has put out in his writings and speeches his
ideas about what kinds of moral standards he believes would
make society better if adhered to. If you can hate somebody for
that, then your own personal standards of morality might be in
serious need of examination.