I just wanted to say that, as a recent graduate of Villanova University, I am proud to see students transcending rather than conforming to the narrow-minded stipulations of the current political fray, being able to differentiate reality from what politicians are trying to sell. I’m more specifically referencing Oscar Abello’s “True meaning of liberalism” article. While I’m not sure if Oscar is a Democrat, Republican, or Independent (not that that even matters), his awareness that “the truth lies between” is refreshing. And while he may call himself a “liberal,” I feel as if he is more moderate than anything else. If their were more level-headed people out there like him, there wouldn’t be such a division in our country. He clearly outlined many of the same reasons Alexander Hamilton gave in the Federalist Papers some years ago for why religion should not be brought into the political arena but rather be a personal freedom protected by a secular goverment. I’m not saying that the government is not based upon many of the same moral principals associated with certain religions and their teachings. In fact, the founding fathers most likely incorporated some of these principles into important documents such as the Constitution. What I am saying, however, is that moral principles are not derivatives of religion, but rather, they are ASSOCIATED WITH AND THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIS FOR many religious ideologies even though they originated and exist completely independently of them. People need to realize goverment is a moral institution, not a religious one, and that IS what the founding fathers had originally intended it to be. And this is the reason our democracy is so great: it is a moral body which affords us the freedom of choice at a personal level. That means that each person maintains a unique and individualized perception and set of convictions that cannot be blandly categorized under the monikers of “Democrat/Liberal” or “Republican/Conservative.” Oscar points out that the scary thing that is happening today is that mob-mentality is once again becoming prevalent in society, and people are siding with one “team” because they are either too scared to disagree with/question others, are being bullied/labeled by the few and the powerful so as to suppress this natural tendancy, or are too apathetic to make an educated choice or choose at all. We are the cynical generation, but I hope that more pragmatists like Oscar, who are open-minded, level-headed, and welcome change when and where needed, will come and save the metaphorical “day.” Otherwise, we will be “doomed” to destroy ourselves. Remember, change needs to happen here first before we can go out and start changing others against their will.

Thanks,

Michael F. RogersAlumnus, Class of 2004