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Are Some People Really That Stupid? OPINION by DAVID G. WILSON Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in this column do not refl ect that of Up & Coming Weekly or its editorial staff. It is the opinion of the writer, Dave Wilson. It is amazing who buzzes into elective offi ce when the screen door is left open. A case in point is Congressman Paul Broun (R) from Georgia's 10th Congressional District. This rather extraordinary gentleman, a good Southern Baptist, has only been married four times. But the Congressman's obvious inability to select wives for long-term relationships is not what makes him unique. Nor is the fact that he is a medical doctor. This staunch conservative and member of the Tea Party Caucus proclaimed in a speech at Liberty Baptist Church that evolution and the Big Bang Theory were "Lies straight from the pit of Hell." In that same speech he insisted that the earth is about 9,000 years old and was created in seven days as we know seven days. None of this would be too scary were it not for the fact that Dr. Broun sits on the House Committee for Science and Technology. I am not making this up. This is a strange appointment for someone so devoid in even a rudimental understanding of science and no apparent interest in technology. Rep. Broun's bio indicates that he holds a degree from the University of Georgia in chemistry. Do they teach chemistry or alchemy there? What is further alarming is that the good people of his district elected this know-nothing with full realization that his conservative view points were totally off the chart of reason. Broun espouses the full conservative position on every controversial subject. He "doesn't know" if Obama is a U.S. citizen or if he is of the Christian faith. He insists the president is a socialist. If so, why is he running for reelection as a Democrat? Then there is the matter of global warming which Broun labels as simply a scientifi c-community conspiracy. before the screen door could be closed is Missouri Representative (R) Todd Akin who labored under the misunderstanding that women, while being raped could shut down the reproductive process. This ridiculous assertion more than offended an important group of voters known as women. He has subsequently been disabused of this by outraged men and women of both parties — but not all. Republican notables and Tea Another strange Republican in the news lately and who slipped into Congress Party darlings such as Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum and J.C.Watts have leapt to Akin's defense. But what are they defending? Akin's right to be stupid? I suppose so. It is interesting that Akin's apologists have all, at one or more times in their conservative political careers, argued against women's rights. These two strange men, who would be among the nation's elite, the shapers and molders of our country's future are not much different in their attitudes and thinking than many of their Republican colleagues. The Republican Party platform, so full of platitudes and apple-pie pronouncements does little to conceal the real Republican psyche. Broun is an avid hunter and by God he is going to defend American's right to bear arms. The party platform is clear on this. It is a Constitutional right. I also am a hunter but I have never hunted with an assault rifl e. Broun insists that everyone who so chooses should own an assault rifl e. The writers of the right-to-bear-arms amendment never considered nut cases shooting up movie theatres when that provision was added to the constitution. Then the issue of who may and may not marry is absolutely addressed in the platform. The argument departs from the Constitution and veers over to the Old Testament of the Bible. While insisting that religious freedom is an inalienable right guaranteed by the Constitution, the platform then argues that the Bible insists that marriage is only a right for opposite genders, one of each, of course. And so the platform goes, making a pretense of concern for all while poorly concealing disdain and lack of compassion for society's have-nots. The 47 percent so clearly swept under the bus by Romney, deftly described the Republican position on programs for the less fortunate. That little speech was given before the platform was written but the message carried through to the platform committee. So never in my relatively long life have I seen such defi nite differences between party politics as are raging this day. Broun and Akin do represent all that is wrong and indefensible with Republican politics and they also represent what permeates the thinking of Republican leadership. I am proud of our country under Barack Obama's presidency. I would not be so proud of a country led by someone who refuses to reveal his last 10 year's income tax returns. Daily Specials & Live Music SUN - $5.99/lb Peel & Eat Shrimp WED - $6.99 Shrimp Po-Boy Line Dancing with Renita Vega THURS - $6.99 All-American BLT Live Band FRI - $6.99 Fish Sandwich Live Band SAT - Live Band EVERYDAY until 6 p.m. Appetizers Buy One Get One 1/2 Off MON - $6.99 Chicken Kickers TUE - Karaoke - $5.99 Tacos (beef, chicken or fi sh) Mon-Wed 11am-12am | Thu-Sat 11am-2am | Sun 12pm-12am 411 Hay St. | Fayetteville, NC 28301 | 910.426.565 www.wetwillies.com 8 UCW OCT. 31 - NOV. 6, 2012 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM