Friday, March 12, 2004

Self-Righteousness Lead Astray

You say "self-righteous" and the first image that comes to mind is some bible-thumping preacher with a southern accent hollering about how God is going to smite the unworthy (read: everyone he believes to be unworthy). I can't stand those people.

Self-righteousness does not come solely from the reactionary religious, however. Take the case of Susan Lindauer, a former journalist and congressional staffer. Here's the key statement in the story:

"I'm an anti-war activist and I'm innocent," she said after her arrest in her hometown of Takoma Park, Md. "I did more to stop terrorism in this country than anybody else. I have done good things for this country. I worked to get weapons inspectors back to Iraq when everyone else said it was impossible."

Yes, I believe that we can all now see that it was her daring efforts of conciliation on behalf of the Iraqi Intelligence Service, and not the hundreds of thousands of US troops sitting on his border, that lead Saddam Hussein to allow UN inspectors back into Iraq. We should be thanking Ms. Lindauer rather than treating her like a spy.

[end sarcasm]

As things look now, this woman makes me sick. I'll try to curb my gut reaction and keep my opinion flexible pending new information.

Update: Via Instapundit and Eugene Volokh (both of whom are law professors) I have learned that my use of the term "spy" above is incorrect. Ms. Lindauer is being charged with being an unregistered agent for Iraq. The term "spy" requires that secrets be exchanged, which it seems that Susan Lindauer was not in a position to do.

No comments: