Petula Dvorak of the Washington Post asks "Where are the Angels?"
It's a good question and one that deserves more of an answer than Jeanne Connolly FONA foundation head gave her in her letter to the editor.
Now, I read the Washington Post nearly every day, it's my local newspaper. And I acknowledge that it's way better than some of the local rags I read while traveling.
That said, let it be known that the editorial board of the Post doesn't read the Washington Post. Petula Dvorak deserves an answer, not just from the yuppie parents concerned about their children's play enrichment, or FONA, but from the Washington Post Editorial page editors.
I support saving the azaleas, and I support rehabilitation of addicts, and needle exchanges. But one is an aesthetic, urge for beauty in the world, and the other is a public health need.
Basic public health, has not since the 19th century been dependent upon the generosity of private donors, and should not be, any more than your or my human rights should be restricted or constrained by referendum.
Excuse me, people who do not believe in evolution, should not have a say in scientific, public health, or medical issues. And I believe that that includes 80-90% of all Republicans at this point. No Republican candidate for president will take the stage and say that they believe in evolution- they should have no say in medical or public health matters.
But the Washington Post editorial page will reflect anti-public health, anti-education, anti-basic human needs viewpoints nearly every day. The Washington Post editorials supported the war in Iraq, even as the inside pages of the newspaper showed facts that made it look unnecessary, and even stupid.
The Post has decided to take an 'even handed' approach to even the craziest, right wing ideologues like Palin, Huckabee, or Gingrich. Excuse me, the opposite of a reasoned liberal argument is a reasoned conservative argument, not a column by a lying crazy like George Will, Newt Gingrich, or Donald Rumsfeld who are lionized by the Post.
Not discussed in the Post is the climbing Prince Georges and DC gun murder rate, and what role the 'so-called' reasonable Republicans of Virginia and in Congress have in it.
Possibly Ms Dvorak's only friend on the Post editorial page is Tom Toles, I think she deserves more, but Ms Connelly's criticism misses the mark. We are a rich enough society to afford needle exchanges AND azaleas. Only the Washington Post misses the ideological connection. Both cost less than a 'MIA' (Month In Afghanistan).
and yeah- check out save the azaleas...