Charen’s cynicism classic

As an optimistic liberal, I often see conservatives as negative, can’t-do, glass-half-empty people. Mona Charen’s May 11 column didn’t disappoint.

Bobby Kennedy showed his bright outlook when he paraphrased George Bernard Shaw, “Some men see things as they are and ask why; I dream things that never were and ask why not.”

That is the kind of hopefulness that would drive a leader to try to achieve nuclear non-proliferation. To Charen, that’s childlike and naive.

Interestingly, Charen sets up a “thought experiment” based on the premise “that all existing nuclear powers agreed that their weapons were a threat to peace and security … and voluntarily destroyed them all.” She then does what so many conservative commentators do, she tears down her assumption as a reason why it won’t work – classic conservative cynicism.

Call me naive, but I think Mona would rather knock down straw men than real ones.

Bob Wynhausen

Sandpoint