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OPINION Sat 2 Dec 2000 Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer In the Nov. 16 issue of the Messenger-Inquirer, David H. Bennett's article, "Nader's campaign will be an ugly footnote to history," deeply saddened me. Bennett, a professor of history at Syracuse University, makes the claim that both Nader's campaign and his followers were "removed from reality," and "unrealistic." I find this very disconcerting. Ralph Nader has been a champion of the people's rights in this country for more than 30 years. He has steadfastly fought the good fight against an ever growing corporate-controlled world. In 2000, he ran as a third party candidate to give people like myself who are disenchanted with the modern political process a viable choice for president. Bennett's column claims that the Green party has "no future as a serious political organization in America." Sadly, I agree with Bennett on this point because I understand how our political and economic systems work hand in hand to maximize profits for the ruling class. This entails making it nearly impossible for a political party that is not backed by corporate money to have any chance at winning the presidency. In fact, policies are already in place that effectively keep third party candidates off the ballot, out of the debates and out of our newspapers. Third parties, revolutionaries, intellectual dissidents, etc., have been consistently marginalized by our media, our political systems and, most importantly, our economic system since the founding of our nation. It is for these reasons that members of our nations "intelligentsia" should herald the efforts of people such as Nader who have to fight an uphill battle to accomplish honorable goals. However, this does not seem to be the case. Propaganda seeps into our institutions of higher learning also. Professors use unwarranted and unintellectual arguments just the same as most Americans when dealing with our political process that is so tightly controlled by corporate power. What other choice do they have when their information is ultimately streaming from the same five to 10 sources of corporate influence? Well, I'll tell you. We all have a choice to seek out other forms of information through sources that have no vested interest in maximizing profits. These sources, while harder to look for and find, will open up a world where the only difference between Al Gore and George W. Bush is to which multinational corporation they look for guidance in our country's affairs. I suggest to Professor Bennett that he use his skills as a history professor to research the formation of this country. He will find that any civil liberties that we have were not the result of those in power, but the result of people like Ralph Nader, who attempt to change the status quo with democratic idealism. Perhaps our intellectual complacency will be the true "ugly footnote to history." John Ferguson, an Owensboro native, is studio manager at Sunlite Music. |
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