[Vision2020] Maybe Iverson's Column Serves a Purpose

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (October 4, 2006) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with thanks to Joe
Campbell -

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TOWN CRIER II: Maybe Iverson's column serves a purpose 

By Joe Campbell 
Wednesday, October 4, 2006 

What is the deal with Ed Iverson? For one thing, why is he so offensive? For
another, why does he get paid to write a bi-weekly column for the
Moscow-Pullman Daily News? 

In "Contemporary comedy and tragedy in society" (Daily News, 9/9/06),
Iverson writes: "According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, homosexual men are 1,000 times more likely to contract AIDS than
someone in the general population." This ridiculous claim was challenged in
several letters to the editor following the original column. I've been to
the CDC Web site and I can't find any support for his assertion. 

On Sept. 23, Iverson had an opportunity to defend himself but instead he
went on the offensive. In "Explaining Christians' 'hatred' of mankind," we
learn that Iverson is one of many "Christians laboring under the accusation
of hate" brought on by "the enemies of Christianity." 

Iverson likes to paint in broad strokes. A debate about the morality of
"homosexuality" suddenly turns into a choice between God and "blasphemy."
Requests for support of Iverson's absurd claims become "hate crimes." His
suggestion that "inviting practicing homosexuals into the insurance group
dramatically increases insurance premiums" is merely "disagreeing with the
fundamentals of secularism." 

Secularism - the belief that religion should have no part in politics - is
now a religion. Fundamentalist Christianity just is Christianity. A
prejudice against gays and lesbians is one diverse view among many. If you
haven't spotted the Orwellian double-speak yet, please read this paragraph
over again -- as well as Iverson's last two editorials. 

Of course, Iverson's rhetorical strategy has its benefits. In "Don't upset
the community of the sensitive" (Opinion, March 25), Iverson notes a mere
three incidents and then generalizes to the conclusion that "Islam is less
than a religion of peace." He continues: "as a matter of principle, Islam
degrades women, devalues the individual, prohibits freedom of conscience,
and advocates world conquest." 

What would happen if someone were to write a similar sentence substituting
"Christianity" for "Islam?" How long would it be before that editorialist
was out of a job? 

Iverson is poised for us to conclude the opposite. In columns like
"Hypocrisy, chicanery and cowardice" (Feb. 11), he talks about "a press
corps for whom there is absolute freedom to deride Christ." Mind you, he
does not mention even one particular example in support of this claim. But
that is fine since the mere suggestion gives him his rhetorical advantage.
Every isolated criticism against Iverson becomes an attack against all
Christians, so who can blame him for acting in kind? In order to fight back
the charge of "hypocrisy," we must give Iverson his soapbox and allow him to
continue launching his unsupported generalizations against Islam, liberals,
and "homosexuals." 

Let me make it clear that I am not criticizing Christians or conservatives
in general. I am criticizing one Christian conservative: Ed Iverson. I was
pleased that in a recent letter to the editor (Opinion, Sept. 30), Pastor
Roger Lynn pointed out that not all Christians share Iverson's views. I only
wish that conservatives would write similar letters. 

This gets us back to one of my original questions: Why does Iverson get the
opportunity to write a bi-weekly column for the Daily News? In an area with
two local universities, one would think that there would be better
representatives of the political right, people who genuinely respect
alternative viewpoints and wish to talk about issues of importance; people
who are careful not to make overgeneralizations and take the time to support
their claims; people who have something more to offer the community than the
same old, tired rants against Islam, liberals and gays. 

Iverson's rhetoric is persuasive. He has apparently convinced some that, in
the name of diversity, his views are worth a regular gig. One wonders why we
don't see bi-weekly columns from Christian Identity theorists, or supporters
of Islamic terrorism. Better yet, why not offer a bi-weekly column to
someone from the radical left who will tell us over and over again that
"religion is the opiate of the masses," someone who has no problem with
labeling all conservatives as "Nazis?" 

Perhaps not all opinions are worthy of this opportunity. 

Joe Campbell is an associate professor of philosophy at Washington State
University. He and his family have lived in Moscow for almost 10 years. Joe
is co-founder of the Inland Northwest Philosophy Conference and co-editor of
the Topics in Contemporary Philosophy Series on MIT Press. He is also a
founding member of the Cowgirl Chocolates/Red Door softball team. Town Crier
II is a weekly series of columns contributed by 13 local writers. The Town
Crier columns run on Wednesday. 

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For additional writings by Joe Campbell:

http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/browse/browse.asp?btype=6&serid=147

I realize that the MIT Press is not quite up to Canon Press' "Book of the
Month" standards, but then it's not like Joe Campbell owns MIT either.

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Vandalville, Idaho

"Madness does not always howl.  Sometimes, it is the quiet voice at the end
of the day saying, 'Hey, is there room in your head for one more?'"

- Author Unknown