2778 Implosion in Texas?

Sunday, February 14, 2010

“Politics is a pendulum whose swings between anarchy and tyranny
are fueled by perpetually rejuvenated illusions.”
-- Albert Einstein --

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Note: The following is not an endorsement for anyone.

Debra Medina is a Republican (Tea Party) candidate for governor of Texas. In a telephone interview on Glenn Beck's radio show, Beck asked her if she was a "9/11 Truther", i.e., if she or any of her advisers believed that the US government was complicit in the fall of the towers:

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j2Ov6u9e38]
[http://politifi.com/news/A-Tea-Party-Candidate-Implodes-on-Becks-Show-185543.html]

Several social commentators and political bloggers whose opinions I usually respect (and a TV/radio host whose opinions I do not respect) have declared that, on the basis of this interview, she is a conspiracy nut and has blown her candidacy out of the water.

Huh? I don't understand.

That's not what she said. I'll agree she blathered a bit and didn't handle the question well, but what she actually said was that she doesn't have enough information to form an opinion either way. She said that there are good questions that have never been completely answered. Pressed on what any of her advisers believe, she said she didn't know and didn't care, and they weren't advising her on that anyway.

Now, I don't know anything about her, have no feelings either way about her, but I think there's something very wrong in concluding that she believes in a government 9/11 conspiracy.
Since when is an open mind suspicious?
Since when is it bad to say "I don't have an opinion because I don't have all the information"?
Since when is wanting the whole story before forming an opinion wrong?
Since when is it wrong to not simply accept what others tell you?
Is it a Republican requirement that one has to never ever ask questions about the motives of a Republican administration? (And the corollary - always question those of a Democratic administration.)

That attitude scares me. Don't think. Don't question. Follow the party line. Parrot the script. Above all, close your mind.
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