Post by utraquehoya on Apr 13, 2006 14:24:47 GMT -5
Easyed "Ultraque - your dismissing Dionne as not a liberal is a re-affirmation of my earlier post that liberals just don't recognize themselves, or others, who are liberal. The fact that he sees a place for religion does not make him not a liberal. John Kerry held the same view, as did Al Gore. Ted Kennedy goes to church. Of course you would probably say they are not liberal. In fact, I'd like you to name one liberal of importance."
Kennedy is clearly a liberal. The fact that Dionne and Elshtain don't share his views on various things makes me want to place them in a different category (e.g., moderate?).
I am struck by the way Dionne tries to be a voice of moderation, looking for the truth and error in the positions of both Democrats and Republicans. I'll grant that he is no conservative (I didn't mean to imply as much), but he is clearly not a knee-jerk liberal. I place him in the moderate camp (but maybe I'm just showing my own biases).
Elshtain is considered a conservative by some, moderate by others. I don't know of anyone who would categorize her simply as a liberal. As someone who is critical of contemporary feminist movements, who thought John Paul II was a contemporary hero, who early on believed the war in Iraq could be defended, who argues that religious arguments should be considered when addressing issues of cloning and abortion, etc., she just doesn't fit the liberal label.
Elshtain and Dionne came to mind, not because they are the most conservative of recent hires, but because they have been given fairly high-profile platforms, speaking engagements at the university.
Again, my original point is not that there isn't a general leftward leaning in higher ed, but only that it hasn't excluded opposing views at Georgetown.
Kennedy is clearly a liberal. The fact that Dionne and Elshtain don't share his views on various things makes me want to place them in a different category (e.g., moderate?).
I am struck by the way Dionne tries to be a voice of moderation, looking for the truth and error in the positions of both Democrats and Republicans. I'll grant that he is no conservative (I didn't mean to imply as much), but he is clearly not a knee-jerk liberal. I place him in the moderate camp (but maybe I'm just showing my own biases).
Elshtain is considered a conservative by some, moderate by others. I don't know of anyone who would categorize her simply as a liberal. As someone who is critical of contemporary feminist movements, who thought John Paul II was a contemporary hero, who early on believed the war in Iraq could be defended, who argues that religious arguments should be considered when addressing issues of cloning and abortion, etc., she just doesn't fit the liberal label.
Elshtain and Dionne came to mind, not because they are the most conservative of recent hires, but because they have been given fairly high-profile platforms, speaking engagements at the university.
Again, my original point is not that there isn't a general leftward leaning in higher ed, but only that it hasn't excluded opposing views at Georgetown.