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Liberals have let the right take over issues: columnistBy Myra GuindonThe value of a U.S. Senate seat was brunch talk Sunday.Fathers and sons, affirmative action, working with the opposition and “giving issues away” to the conservative right were just a few of the other post brunch topics touched on by nationally syndicated columnist WilliamJ WRaspberry during a casual chat with members and supporters of the Governors State UniversityFoundation.“People who are center and left of center have let too many core issues be taken over by the right,” Raspberry said at a thank vou event for Foundation con-tributors and board members.The conservative issues problem, Raspberry continued, is widespread and liberals have allowed it to happen.Patriotism used to be viewed as uplifting, part of our heritage, until conservatives took it over, he said. Now liberals flinch when they see someone wearing an American flag lapel pin.Morality is yet another issue liberals have transferred to the domain of conservatives.We gave Dan Quayle family values. Now we're talking about ordinaiy decency and spirituality, and too many people with whom I identify politically are pooh-poohing this. Liberals can't keep giving issuesawayt#William RaspbenyNoted columnist“We gave Dan Quayle family values, Raspberry said.“Now we’re talking about ordinary decency and spirituality, and too many people with whom I identify politically are pooh-poohing this.“(Liberals) can’t keep giving issues away.”Joint efforts on critical issues between conservatives and liberals are possible and are happening, he said.Raspberry pointed to a unique pairing on decency issues of two politically disparate public figures: possible presidential aspirant and former education czar William Bennett, a staunch conservative, and National Political Congress of Black Women Chair C. Delores Tucker, a liberal who also sits on the board of theNAACP.The two banded together last week to battle Time Warner and the violent messages of “gangstarap.” Time Warner produces recordings of several of the genre’s performers.“I’m pleased to see them (Bennett and Tucker) working together,” Raspberry said.The unlikely duo also served as an example of a key point Raspberry made earlier in his non talk: the dramatic focus of a news story can pit the problem solver against the problem itself instead of against another person.“We (journalists) can tell any story by telling people versus problems, not other people.William RaapberryProblems lend themselves to joint undertakings,” he said.On the issue of Republican presidential hopeful and California Gov. Pete Wilson’s signing of a bill that negates affirmative action laws, Raspberry admitted confusion.“I wish I understood better what drives people to theseKinas 01 acuons and behaviors,he said “There’s political hay in it, but why?“I suspect people are unsure about their futures and not doing as well as they hoped.“White men are not doing as well as their fathers,” he continued.However, in general, black men and white women are doing better than their parents. But for a man, bettering one’s father is ingrained, part of human nature.“Women don’t have a clue as to how much we compete with our fathers,” Raspberry said.Men who do not succeed at that given level want to be sure the fault is not theirs.“It’s that damned affirmative action, he quipped, speaking from the angry white man’s point of view. “All your jobs have gone to the inner city,” he added wryly.Oh, and the Senate seat he was talking about was the one California millionaire Republican Michael Hufflngton tried to capture, unsuccessfully, with some $20 million.“It’s frightening to think about. What is there about a Senate seat that’s worth $20 million? Nobody should want anything that badly,” Raspberry said.“If that’s an investment, what’sthe dividend?”Following his brunch remarks, Raspberry gave the commencement address at GSU as well as received an honorary degree during graduation exercises.The Foundation brunch at Flossmoor Country Club was underwritten by four local corporations: Allied Tube and Conduit Corporation, Bank of Matteson, William E. Brazley and Associates, Inc. and Paratech Inc.Looking forRoofing and Siding?Turn to the Star ClassifiedBusiness Directory
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Crete Star
Crete, Illinois, US
Thu, Jun 08, 1995
Page 13
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USA 22 Oct 2022
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