Deconstructing Nathan

Regular commenter, Miami University Student and Republican activist Nathan Colvin has penned a column in the Miami Student, the campus paper.

Nathan starts out with a whopper of a statement:

As in elections past, democrats and liberals are once again using scare tactics to sway voters in this presidential election.

Is Nathan this myopic? Does he only see Democrat's mild use of what he calls 'fear' and not see his candidate's campaign based on nothing but fear? Let's list out what George Bush wants you to fear:

1. Muslim Terrorists
2. Homosexual Marriage
3. The United Nations
4. John Kerry
5. Anyone who dares criticize him
6. Anyone who does not want to kill Muslims

Nathan is upset that some 'liberal' professors are repeating 'lies.' First thing, you don't need to tack on the 'liberal' label to a college professor. If liberals read it, like me, the liberal label will just make us laugh. If conservatives read it, well, to them the term liberal professor is redundant.

What is missing most are examples of what he alleged the professors to have said. He should have had quotes. He could even have named names. Then we could better assess whether these comments were opinions or statements of fact. Also if the assertions made were something the students were required to know as part of the class.

If these were in a discussion, then I see no problem with them. Why can't a professor express an opinion? Especially an opinion in the form of a question: "Ok class, How could President Bush fight another war beyond Iraq without reinstating the draft. I tell you it can't be done." Is that the type of horrible hippie propaganda Nathan is complaining about? Well, it could be, but we have nothing to examine, so I guess we will never know.