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Responding to Trib Writer Dimitri Vassilaros
Posted
10-26-2000
Recently, Tribune Review writer Dimitri Vassilaros wrote an article
critical of social security (socialism), affirmative action (quotas),
diversity (quotas and recognizing gay rights), universal health care
(socialized medicine), gun control (people control), and of course the
always evil government that is behind all of these things. Like so many
members of the "right" side of the political spectrum, everything government
does, and any help it attempts to provide, is a massive part of some effort
to dominate our culture. In this case, his criticism was that commonly
accepted words are really an effort by liberals to mislead us.
It is perplexing to see folks
like, Dimitri, obviously the son or grandson of immigrants (like myself)
become so stridently contemptuous of groups they view as different. I
responded to him by e-mail, and he so enjoyed my response that he wrote a
column that shared some of my views and his response to my views.
Many immigrants suffered
discrimination yet somehow some of their descendents have transformed into
some of the least tolerant members of society. My Italian and Slovak
grandparents, and even my parents, certainly suffered discrimination, but it
was nothing like blacks who had laws keeping them separate and unequal. I
strongly believe that descendents of ethnic groups who suffered should be
particularly sensitive to the struggles of other groups. Dimitri suggests,
in response to my comment that affirmative action is needed to level the
playing field, that perhaps minorities should open more flower shops and
restaurants like his people. Leveling a playing field through affirmative
action is NOT playing favorites as Dimitri suggests; it is ensuring that the
people who have had the field slanted against them, just get a fair chance.
Universal health care should
be the norm in the wealthiest nation in the world. It shouldn’t just be
available for people who can afford it because, frankly, without it being an
employment benefit, very few of us could afford it. Dimitri seems to be
oblivious to how expensive health insurance is and the fact that as a caring
society we should want to ensure that something as fundamental as health
care should be available to all regardless of an individual's ability to pay
for it. In fact, the people who need it the most are often those least able
to pay for it.
Of course, Dimitri thinks as
a writer he has no social responsibility. He believes that supporting his
government is being an apologist for politicians and bureaucrats. What kind
of thinking is that? Politicians, bureaucrats, and everyone else in the
public sector are people just like everyone else. Our government is us! The
fact that it is made up of people of varying political views, ethnic groups,
and religious groups causes it to reflect the culture that produces it.
Government is not some alien group, and folks like Dimitri that espouse
mistrust and contempt of government only serve to further destroy our
participatory democracy. Challenging or opposing policies is one thing,
sweeping criticisms of government serves no purpose.
Dimitri frets that unlike the
New York Times writer that was called a rectal orifice by someone as
prestigious as presidential candidate George W. Bush, he was only called
that by a lowly county commissioner. I hope he isn’t too disappointed, but
he won’t find politicians further up the food chain reading his articles in
the Tribune Review. I know as politicians go, I’m only a little fish, but as
"you-know-whats" go, Dimitri you’re definitely BIG TIME! |
