Frequently asked questions

The most exciting facet of writing a weekly column is receiving reader questions and comments. Each piece goes out to tens of thousands, and then the columnist waits to see who will answer. Some questions tend to be repeated, and thus call for a public response.

Several readers have sent emails asking, “How can you be a Christian and a feminist?” That’s an easy one. A Christian is someone who believes that Jesus, the Son of God, laid down his life for humankind. A feminist is someone who believes that women are human. How can any Christian woman not be a feminist?

Other readers have asked, “Why do you hate George Bush?” The emotion that causes me to point at the Constitution with a look of panic in my eyes in not hatred. It is, in fact, love. Only those who love liberty cry when it is torn asunder in the name of fear. The rest of America shrugs and says, “It was only a Muslim who lost his rights. No one is spying on me or falsely arresting me or my friends, so who cares?” How quickly we forget the lessons of history!

Consider the famous quote by Pastor Martin Niemöller:

In Germany, they came first for the Communists,
And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists,
And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews,
And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then . . . they came for me . . .
And by that time there was no one left to speak up."

The real question is: When did the public forget the importance of holding our government accountable? Americans have been sold a lie. We have been told that we must agree with the occupation of Iraq, or else we cannot support our troops. Christians in particular are taught that we must only “pray for the President” rather than voicing our dissent. Nobody suggested such a tactic during Bill Clinton’s administration. These days, Bushies call those who disagree with Republican policy traitors or even terrorists. When open dissent is squelched, liberty is only an illusion.

Since last week’s paper was published, a handful of pit bull apologists from around the U.S. have sent a small torrent of emails accusing me of prejudice against their favorite pets. These dog-owners claim we should not judge their pets by their breed, just as we should not judge people by their skin color. My piece took a hard-line approach against all aggressive dogs. If a cocker spaniel or a pit bull bit my child, either dog would meet the same fate. The child would not. Large dog attacks are far more likely to result in death, maiming or disfigurement. Among large dogs, some breeds are more likely to attack than others. For this reason, it makes sense to keep tabs on which breeds have a greater tendency to attack the weak and defenseless. Studies implicate the pit bull as the number one killer dog.

Just since I wrote the piece on killer dogs, several more people have been attacked by pit bulls. A woman in California was attacked by a neighbor’s pit bull in her own garage. The dog wanted the baby boy in her arms. In desperation, she hid the baby in a trash can while she fended off the beast. The pit bull lunged at the trash can and knocked the baby onto the floor. The brave mother threw herself between the pit bull and the baby, so that the vicious animal clamped onto her arms rather than the baby’s head. Nearby construction workers responded to the woman’s screams and beat the dog with their tools until it ran away. They saved the mother’s life, but she still may lose the use of her arms. So much for pit bull lovers’ claims that irresponsible mothers are to blame for attacks on children!

On the first of this month, a six-year-old boy in Dallas was mauled to death by the family pit bull. On Saturday, another six-year-old boy was attacked by another pit bull. His older sister was also scratched and bitten as she tried to rescue him. Elsewhere, mail carriers, police officers and other professionals continue to face danger from aggressive dogs in their line of work. Police officers frequently shoot pit bulls in self defense.

Dogs are not people, and therefore charges of breed prejudice hardly carry the weight of racism or sexism charges. I like dogs, so long as they keep their teeth, claws, barking, and defecating to themselves. I like tigers, too, but I hope none of my neighbors decide to tame a tiger, call it a pet, and tie on a rope in their back yard.

Some readers express great relief at the common sense presented in my column, and want to know “Where have you been all my life?” Before I began the column, some had worried that the local paper was not taking a neutral stance toward politics. The fact is that the paper just did not have an independent weekly columnist who was left-leaning. I am thrilled to be here now, voicing a balancing opinion.

And finally, to all those who begin their letters with “I disagree,” I invite you to continue disagreeing and continue sending your responses via email. I write to address current topics, to expose inconsistencies in our culture, to hold the government accountable, and to facilitate public dialogue. Whether you agree or disagree, I have succeeded in bringing the subject to your attention and presenting a different angle. You are thinking about these issues, and thus the column is a success. Keep reading, keep thinking, and keep responding.