Pubdate: Fri, 17 Oct 2003
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2003 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Andrew Alexander
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/limbaugh  Rush Limbaugh

MERCIFUL CONSERVATISM

It is nice to see that you are being charitable in your view of Rush
Limbaugh's problem. However, being a conservative, I find your
description of conservatives (you called them fans of Rush) incredibly
insulting.

A common message that is pushed by liberals is that conservatives see
all issues as black and white, and have no mercy or compassion. That
is completely false. The whole concept of the "compassionate
conservative" is a public relations ploy and came about only to
counter the description (such as yours) of conservatives constantly
being put out by liberals. Having moral guidelines does not mean you
have no mercy.

Given the question, "Which is more important: mercy or justice?" the
liberal will always say mercy. The conservative might say justice. I
say that you cannot have one without the other. If there were no
justice, what would be the need for mercy? And yet, there is a need
for mercy or we would not live in the type of society that we do. If
you have no justice, you have chaos.

And I don't think my opinion makes me a minority in the conservative
world. Most conservatives I know think pretty much the same way - and
I don't hear words that are unmerciful from most of the conservative
people I listen to.

Andrew Alexander,

Parker
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MAP posted-by: Derek