Silence from the right is telling

As David Horowitz reminded me in a speech on campus last night, a favorite pastime of the right is to question, if not completely deny, the patriotism of the American left. Many contend that we're fighting two wars - one in Iraq against the evil-doers and one at home against their "sympathizers." They've even insinuated that liberals want America to lose the war in Iraq.

And yet, I haven't heard one word of concern, let alone indignation, from conservative America about the questionable patriotism of the Westboro Baptist Church. The group is a congregation of fundamentalist Christians who believe that U.S. troops are dying as punishment for American tolerance of homosexuality. They travel the country attending the funerals of troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, confronting mourning families with signs and chants such as, "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and "God Hates Your Tears."

Perhaps as disgusting as this sect's ideology is the hypocrisy of the right's silence in regard to Westboro Baptist Church. As The New York Times reported on Oct. 25, these are "demonstrators who count each dead U.S. soldier as a victory." Is conservative America so in bed with the religious right that it ignores the most despicable example of the "treason" that it claims to hate so much?

Adam Weiner

George Washington

University

Washington, D.C.

(formerly of Arlington Heights)