Letter to the Editor

As a Republican, I resent your characterization of George "Bush and his band" as "bigots, homophobes, religious fanatics, racists and conservative zealots" (Staff Editorial, 2/23/05). I am a member of his "band," and none of these descriptors fit me or any other Republican I know.

I happen to be in favor or gay marriages and/or civil unions, am not particularly religious, am not a zealot, and am not prejudiced against anyone except those who demonstrate the same kind of hateful stupidity as the writer of this editorial.

In addition, only black-and-white thinkers incapable of seeing shades of gray could possibly jump to the conclusion that, because George Bush is not in favor of gay marriages, he is homophobic and cares nothing about HIV/AIDS.

In his budgets, more money has been spent on finding a cure for HIV/AIDS than under any other president. He is also the first president to give billions of dollars to African countries to fight the spread of AIDS.

Anyone who looks at George Bush's cabinet, his immigration policies, and his federal and Supreme Court nominees can't help but see that he has demonstrated strong support where it counts for blacks and Hispanics (not "targeting" anyone for being black or Hispanic as your editorial rather bizarrely states).

Corsair staff, save the hate-filled tirades for signed opinion pieces, or just turn the entire paper over to the realm of yellow-rag journalism.

Whoever you are, I suggest you have the courage in the future to put your name where your mouth is so we will know you for what you so obviously are-a bigot.

Fran Chandler

SMC Professor of Business

Editor's note: Newspaper editorials represent staff consensus and traditionally are unsigned.