Well, my loyal supporters, critics and readers, another year is in the books. I have enjoyed the interaction with all of you, whether in print or in person.
I trust you will continue to write in and keep me honest when you feel I have gone off the deep end, and I welcome the communication next year.
In years past, I dedicated my last article to criticizing the blunders the College has made (and there have been many in my stay here) and calling for some logical solution.
However, seeing that I already used much of my material last week, I believe I am out on a limb here.
So this column will be a short end of the year review of current events from the campus and the world.
For those who enjoy my commentary on the state of the College, never fear, I still have an issue that I would like to address.
I am concerned about the liberal crusade that seems to be mounting against the organization Students for Academic Freedom (SAF).
Some at the College are troubled that this group's oaths to protect academic diversity could turn into some conservative/liberal witch hunt.
The witch hunt defense is one of my favorites that the left employs because it is so hypocritical, to say nothing of completely ridiculous.
It is funny that when someone gets fed up with hearing the same kind of thinking day after day and wants to consider other points of view, it becomes a scheme.
Liberals, often in favor of diversity when it benefits them, turn on their own mantra.
This paranoia is simply a case of ignorance and misplaced illogical fear, but when you throw in the loaded and educationally misrepresented historical terms like "witch hunt" or "McCarthyism," suddenly it's a matter of legitimate concern.
So what if David Horowitz runs SAF? Who the heck runs the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that was recently formed on campus?
Given their frequent intrusions into people's lives, I could spread all kinds of rumors that the ACLU here is trying to take away our religious rights or destroy the local Boy Scouts, activities they seem very fond of pursuing.
This SAF nonsense is all hysteria and hype; pay it no heed.
On the international stage, many around the world mourned the recent loss of the beloved Pope John Paul II.
He was a great man by many respects and I take my hat off to his firm stances against abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage and atheistic communism.
However, his successor Benedict XVI has drawn some early criticism for being too conservative. His election has upset many "progressive" Catholics.
As a non-Catholic, my response to this is "too bad."
The Church is not a democracy, nor should it be answerable to the whims of public opinion.
If you don't like it you can always leave and find another denomination.
I think it is ridiculous for the left to insist that discussions be opened for its pet issues in any Christian church.
This so-called need for debate is a clear case of refusing to abide by the authority of the Bible and instead creating man-made laws to make ourselves feel better about our own sinfulness.
That being said, I will still jump on the bandwagon and call for a reform of the Catholic Church, but in a different way.
I challenge the new pope to examine the Scriptures and find where it states indulgences can be issued, Mary was born without sin, the Pope is infallible, etc., etc., etc. I feel a great deal of revelation could come out of this simple experiment.
Finally, we come to the year in review for our "Spanning the World" session with yours truly. The past year was a great time for Republicans.
If some of you still haven't heard George W. Bush was re-elected as well as the Republican Senate and House.
Another great blow to the teetering edifice that is the Democratic Party was the election of Howard Dean as party chairman.
He has since run things with his typical modesty, grace, and respect with such conciliatory remarks like "I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for, but I admire their discipline and their organization."
Gee ... thanks, Howard.
He also called his opponents "brain-dead," likened them to Pharisees and Sadducees and accused the president of using homophobia, racism and sexism to win elections.
Have fun building bridges to moderate Republicans with that message!
In other news, the Yankees lost the World Series (boo hoo, get over it, you've won 25 of them) and New England won the Super Bowl, continuing Philadelphia's incredible losing drought and upsetting hundreds of South Jersey fans who don't support teams that play in their own state.
Now that I think I've thoroughly pissed off everyone, have great summer.
