The longest lasting institutions thoroughly embed themselves in apeople’s culture. Catholicism and Judaism often seem more like anethnicity than an ideology, and the Republican Party is starting toshare somecommonality with these institutions. One of the reasons the GOP isdominating politics is that its followers have the zealotry andobedience of a religion. But politics isn’t a religion – it’s asocial science that must be constantly questioned, challenged andaltered to an extent that would be considered blasphemy.

I am a Christian – my view of politics stems from my belief in ahigher moral law and my obligation to God to obey and stand up forthat law. This respect for human rights is explicit in theDeclaration of Independence and necessary in any non-repressivegovernment. But when political parties overdevelop mythology andculture, it eliminates necessary skepticism and creates too manytaboos for a healthy democracy.

Evidence to support this assertion is everywhere. A specific,although somewhat trivial, example is the CBS mini-series “TheReagans.” America’s most beloved war criminal also happens to be theBrigham Young of Latter-day Republicans, those neo-conservatives whowill only tolerate inaccurate made-for-TV movies that enhance anddrive home their mythologies (i.e. “Saving Jessica Lynch”). The realtragedy of the mini-series is that it wasn’t about a mental patientthrown on the streets, pushed out of his downtown San Diego non-homeby a wealthy “philanthropist” (and suspected inside-trader) and thenshot 20 times by six Ocean Beach police officers for holding a stick.

A broader, but much more significant example, is the LDR attitudetoward higher education and politics in the classroom. Manyneo-conservatives attack what they feel is anti-American sentiment(read: heresy) and a “left-wing conspiracy” that is poisoning highereducation. Teachers in public schools are forced to tiptoe aroundcurrent issues the same way they avoid offending Jewish children withChristmas decorations. LDR is pushing for a “balance” between liberalprofessors and staunch right-wingers, even using political pressurein the form of federal grants to achieve political affirmativeaction. Universities have been openly accused (by Republocrat JosephLieberman), of not pulling their weight in the war on terror.

LDR stories of children going off to college and being”indoctrinated” by bitter academics sound more like evangelicalstories of Christians losing their faith in college by falling intothe wrong crowds. LDR wants people to accept that if you teachcontrary to the LDR book of history, children (20-somethings) will becorrupted. The attitude is belittling of the student and the processof education. It also ignores perhaps the easiest explanation of thephenomena of “liberalization” in college – students actually learningsomething that changed their minds about politics. College teachesyou to think in terms of complexities and intricacies that oftenclash with the good vs. evil mentality. Some people loved Reaganbecause he called evil by its name, yet others hated him because hereduced foreign policy to that method of thinking.

Overall, it’s easier to hate his administration for its hypocrisyand dishonesty. But the reality that Reagan-style politics aretolerated is the reason the Republican Party is ultimately hurtingitself (and the world) with transcribing its politics into culture.Its political philosophy is being degraded every time it adds mythand ritual. True conservative principles of smaller government,reserved fiscal policy state rights and private charity doing socialwork are an opposable, but legitimate approach to politics. But theseprinciples are getting trampled by the pharisees who preach theseideas, but in office create a more centralized and empowered federalgovernment (Homeland Security, PATRIOT Act), deficit spend and amassdebt for future generations. And they aren’t questioned enough by thepeople who voted for them because these politicians are revered.

LDR is using people’s capacity for faith against it. Hopefullymore people will realize religion belongs in spiritual and individuallives, but when it comes to policy-making and social science, being alamb of the social powers is a horrible thing.

– Joe Zarro is an English senior and managing editor for The DailyAztec.

– This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of TheDaily Aztec. Send e-mail to letters@thedailyaztec.com.Anonymous letters will not be printed – include your full name, majorand year in school.