University of Virginia Library

Irrelevance

It behooves the CD
Editorial Editor to re-examine
his policy on printing irrelevant
colloquia, that is, articles
unrelated to University
concerns. I do not propose
indiscriminate censorship,
rather suggest that a modicum
of judgement be exercised.

I cite Neal Frey's
colloquium entitled "Liberals
Desire Inflexible Standards" as
an example, and respond to it
because I feel personally
indicted as a "liberal." The
innuendo-metaphor of liberals
as being drug addicts is
offensive, as are the following
depictions: morally bankrupt,
lawless, murders, deprave,
ambitious, revengeful,
lascivious, seditious and
zealous. How can one people
be so industrious?

Mr. Frey is suffering from a
strong case of paranoia. He
imputes "guilt' to the liberals
on a dozen instances without
once giving us the vaguest idea
of what liberals feel guilty
about. I do not feel guilty
about anything. Also, Mr. Frey
demonstrates a naive notion of
the liberal's toleration of civil
disobedience and acceptance of
abortion.

The former is not
considered lawless to the
liberal nor the latter murder.
His assertions to the contrary
are based on his ideology, as
are the positions taken by
liberals founded on their
ideology. The ontological
proof of a given position rests
on social needs, not on some
visionary's set of
commandments.

The primary flaw of Mr.
Frey's analysis is his assertion
that liberals indulge in immoral
behavior because, in exercising
their freedom, they (allegedly)
follow their passions. It is only
by being passionate that all
men have some concept of
morality.

No one concept is more true
than another, for there is no
source of absolute definition.
Therefore, it is not wrong per
se to fail to uphold "moral
absolutes" or "elementary moral
principles" in society because
they are non-existent.

Mr. Frey charges that
liberals ironically desire a social
justice which "requires a stable
order of inflexible moral
standards, which (they)
despise." Again, we are not
given a single example by Mr.
Frey of liberal moral
intransigence.

I can agree with Mr. Frey on
one point: liberals have
troubled psyches. And let me
tell you why: Liberals stand
for equity and are exasperated
by its conspicuous absence.
Apparently, Mr. Frey stands
for law and order irrespective
of whether said policy is just or
unjust.