Editor:

Ahmed Barakat’s “Choosing to be a liberal or conservative only leads to imbalance” (July 14) was one of the cheapest shots at objectivity I’ve ever seen.

Not only is he transparent, he contradicts himself numerous times.

First, he claims he is not a liberal or conservative, but he does admit that he tends “to favor the liberal point of view.” He also writes that liberals are so quick to criticize the human rights abuses of the United States in Iraq, but ignore the same human rights abuses by Saddam Hussein in the past.

It was only a few weeks ago that Barakat wrote a column denouncing the United States in Iraq and ignoring Saddam’s human rights abuses. You’re a liberal, Barakat. At least have the guts to admit it.

Secondly, he claims that we conservatives have “redefined democracy in a fascist sense.” As I recall, it is the Democratic Party that’s trying to prevent presidential nominee Ralph Nader from running. It was Vice President Al Gore who tried to throw out the military ballots in Florida in 2000.

Currently, homosexuals are using the court to prevent conservatives from participating in a gay rally in Philadelphia. And don’t forget that members of Sen. John Kerry’s campaign staff assaulted a lone pro-life demonstrator and destroyed her banner a few months ago at a Kerry rally.

Yet Barakat calls the conservatives fascist? Give me a break! Barakat is about as unfamiliar with issues and reality in the United States as in Iraq.

Bart Gatrell

Graduate Student,

International Relations