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Oops,
he did it again
GEOF
WOLLERMAN
gwollerm@mscd.edu
If
Governor Owens needed a way to shoot himself in the foot
again before his tumultuous term comes to an end, he
found it last week when he prematurely offered up his
opinion about suspended teacher Jay Bennish. In early
February, an Overland High School student taped Bennishís
remarks comparing President Bush to Hitler. Bennish,
after several days of suspension, has been allowed to
keep his job, with the understanding that he will observe
all rules of conduct concerning controversial material.
The absolution of Bennish, however, only served to compound
Owensí faux pas.
His
trouble began when, according to The Denver Post, the
governor appeared on "The Mike Rosen Show" and "praised" the
Overland student, saying, "The teenager has been
unfairly targeted for ridicule." The teenager in
question, Sean Allen, has been threatened by classmates
and will not be returning to Overland. Owens also said
that Bennish would have to "defend himself to the
people that pay his salary." Guilty before proven
innocent, eh, governor?
(A
side note: this episode begins to reveal my long-held theory
that Owens has been carrying on an unrequited love affair
with Bushólike a geek falling for the prom queenóand it tears
him up inside to see Bush slighted, however aloof a lover
he might remain.)
Owensí radio
appearance might have remained relatively benign if it hadnít
been for the fact that later that week, when asked for his
feelings on the right to free speech in the classroom, President
Bush struck a dramatically different tone. While fielding
questions from members of the National Newspaper Association,
an event covered by C-SPAN, Bush said, "I think people
should be allowed to criticize me all they want, and they
do." Laughter resounded throughout the room at what
was one of several unexpected presidential quips. "Thereís
some certain basic freedoms," Bush continued, "that
weíve got to protect. The freedom of people to express themselves
must be protected . . . thatís what distinguishes us from
the Taliban, and thatís important for Americans to understand."
In
Owensí defense, for the duration of the speech Bush appeared
to be in a kind of a compassionate, visionary fugue, which
led me to believe he wasnít thinking about what he was sayingóto
the audience, but more specifically to his faithful, reactionary
wing of the Republican Party. But, Bush did make the comments
nonetheless, and I assure you I was as shocked to hear the
words as you are to read them. Unfortunately for Owensí credibility,
Bushís words were as timely as a botched hurricane-relief
effort in the first year of a lame duck presidency.
A
one-time-darling of conservatives, for his efforts on behalf
of tax reform and the religious right agenda, Owens can now
consider himself in the running for the coveted position
of nobody in charge of nothing. Well, I shouldnít say, nothing.
Heís got my vote for President for Life of the Political
Bunglers Club.
Hereís
to Owens, going out with all the style and panache of a close-talker
at a claustrophobicís convention. And congratulations, Bennish:
the president, bafflingly, is behind you.
By Adam Goldstein goldstea@mscd.edu
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