I never expected that I would find myself defending Berkeley mayor Tom Bates, a man who used to spend his summer vacations in East Germany, during the "good old days" of Communist rule. But the absurdities of political corrctness have bitten that old radical on the posterior, so for the sake of ridicule, let me go on the record that Tom has been unfairly criticized.

The issue itself is unimportant, relating to a local park district board election. Bates found himself preferring one leftist activist candidate over the incumbent, an 84 year old woman. In a private meeting with the incumbent, Bates apparently suggested that the challenger had more energy, and hinted (or stronger) that the incumbent might wish to decline to run for re—election.

Well, the incumbent did what any self—righteous leftist would: call up the reporters and denounce the mayor for ageism.

Even the incumbent avers that the insult was "very subtle."

The revolution, as the famous quotation goes, devours its young. In Berkeley, at least, we now live in a world in which even the purest leftist cannot voice any criticism, or even any unfavorable comparison of any person who might possibly fit into a "protected class."

Posted by Thomas  06 22 04