As unlikely as it seems, I see a silver lining in the Delay fiasco. His refusal to believe a Democratic judge could hear his case tells me more than I want to know about his character, and sets a much needed precedent for a problem I have wrestled with the last few years.

            When a guy my daughter dated recently told me all men are pigs, I explained to him and my daughter why his belief told me he is the pig. If he weren’t, he would know his statement was not true .

When another man won a lottery and wanted to invest in a friend’s career, I watched how my friends divided on the issue. Those who said he shouldn’t be trusted, and must want something in return, were the people who would never be so generous. The ones who give without strings attached simply said what a nice guy.

Tom Delay’s refusal to believe a Democratic judge could be fair tells me he knows a Republican judge will not be, or at least he knows he would not be fair to a Democrat under any circumstances.

            I had already rationalized my disappointing prejudice toward Republicans by recognizing political party affiliation as a moral choice, the same as religion, friends, and club affiliations. Unlike skin color, nationality, sexual orientation, I.Q., or age, it isn’t something a person is born with and has no ability to change. Holding others responsible for their party choice seemed fair, not like a blind prejudice. I compared it to holding blanket prejudices against rapists and murderers, and decided I was comfortable with it.

Questions arose. Do I have the right to request party information from the people I have business with? Where can I find this information if they refuse to provide it?

 Since Mr. Delay and party claim upstanding, superior character and ethics, feel no qualms about using political party to assume a judge’s incompetence, and the rest of the country is sitting silently by while they use it, I assume Mr. Delay paves the way for the rest of us. Apparently, the rest of the country agrees.

As a Medicare patient living on a disability income, I don’t believe any Republican physician or health care provider can possibly have my best interest at heart. Their recent stand on issues that affect my survival indicates they value corporate interests and tax breaks for the wealthy over my survival.

Likewise, when I represent myself in court because I can’t afford legal assistance, I don’t believe any Republican judge or prosecutor can see me as a full human with equal rights. Their party seeks to erode my rights at every opportunity and openly flaunts their biased application of laws depending on party affiliation.

            Considering the Republican Party’s total disregard for education, as evidenced in their budget cuts and their propensity for rewriting science, math, and history, I don’t believe it is in the best interest of my family to subject our children to Republican teachers. I’m sure Republican parents share my concerns about leaving their children with Democratic teachers.

            Thanks to Mr. Delay’s precedent, I breathe a huge sigh of relief for this one area of concern he has eased. If someone will direct me to the public list of party registrations, I will work on changing doctors, judges, and teachers right away. I’m sure that list must exist. How else would the ethical Mr. Delay, who doesn’t consider himself above laws or rules, have known his judge was a Democrat?

Sandy Knauer, 11/2005