Had the pleasure of watching two dynamic speakers debate each other on C-SPAN. Dinesh D'Souza (conservative author and movie maker) debated Bill Ayers (revolutionary/social justice professor) on the pros and cons of capitalism and socialism. For the record, I am fiercely independent. Both Democratic and Republican parties repulse me. They are egomaniacal sell-outs who pander to big business. My debate review is about as impartial of an interpretation as most viewers are able to give.
Bill Ayers-A Chicago boy, believes in equal pieces of the pie for all, never had to "work" because of family money. I'm very familiar with this man because I am from Chicago. He lives in Glen Ellyn. For the record, the town is predominantly white and upper class. Why does this matter? Because it contradicts his whole anti-capitalism, pro-redistribution of wealth dogma. He touts the philosophy of social justice or all of us should have equal pieces of the pie. Guess he doesn't believe in living in the same neighborhood with the very people he champions. Some might argue that this sounds like rich white boy/Hollywood movie star white guilt phenomena. Obama loves the guy and his social justice.
Bill packages his "giving to the less fortunate" idea as a response to white supremacy. Christians believe it's their duty to help others and perform good works too. Yes, he made some great points, but should charity be left to the charitable? Should government be involved in choosing who should be helped?
Bill also mentions how we are not as exceptional as we like to think, using education as one of his many examples. The U.S. educational system is undebatedly inequitable. A quality curriculum should be available to all and not those who live in a towns with huge tax bases. Welfare is a great safety net for those who fall on hard times. Should it be a way of life? A counter-culture? Is there a way to eliminate fraud and longevity of entitlements?
Bill went into how modern-day war is no longer just. War is the new way to provide corporate welfare or pay back campaign contributors with Iraq and Afghanistan wars as recent examples. Are corporations dictating our foreign policy? Was the real winner Haliburton and Big-Oil? Are the only voters who matter the ones who run fortune 500 corporations?
When asked about gun control and the 2nd Amendment, Ayers fervently believes that people don't have the right to own "machine guns." Ironically, this man tried to bomb the Pentagon in the 1960s. Is this just slightly hypocritical?
In summary, Bill believes that we can be better and we need to be better. America needs to step it up in so many areas.
Dinesh D'Souza-Indian immigrant who went to Dartmouth who made himself into a celebrity through his conservative preachings.
Dinesh has a unique perspective of the U.S. as an immigrant. He states that so many Americans (like his debate opponent) put down this country, but what are they comparing it to? The Garden of Eden? He believes America is the best place to live with the best ideals in the world.
America's biggest contribution to the world is the creation of wealth. D'Souza explains himself by citing history's old ways to gaining riches. Empires would conquer lands and their resources to gain wealth whereas America figured out a way to make it without taking it from someone else through trade and invention. He recites all of the amazing inventions that came from the U.S. Motivating factors such as freedom, protection of patents, and capitalism encouraged those to succeed. He believes that America is the only place where one makes big decisions about his life.
D'Souza believes that capitalism is the U.S.'s biggest gift to poor countries such as India and China and NOT social programs. Only in America are there fat people who are poor. He even makes a pot shot at his audience, Dartmouth students, by rhetorically asking them who pays for their Ivy League education. When asked about these shady wars in the Middle East, Dinesh backs up the last two presidents by claiming that fighting for others' democracy is a good thing, even though it turned out to be a waste of money. Wouldn't those wars have made more sense if the U.S. took Iraq's oil? Does anyone really "buy" this whole democracy reason?
Dinesh warns that China and India are going to take over if we don't wake up. Unlike us, they won't be going to war because of "democracy".
And the winner is....
Dinesh, but Ayers was almost as good! I think Dinesh was a better speaker. He also made a stronger case for growing wealth over redistributing it. Let me know what you think.
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