The title? “Chris Coons: The Making of a Bearded Marxist.”
In the article, Coons, then 21 years old and about to graduate from Amherst College, chronicled his transformation from a sheltered, conservative-minded college student who had worked for former GOP Delaware Sen. William Roth and had campaigned for Ronald Reagan in 1980 into a cynical young adult who was distrustful of American power and willing to question the American notion of free enterprise.
Coons, the New Castle County executive who is running against GOP Rep. Michael Castle for the state’s open Senate seat, wrote of his political evolution in the May 23, 1985, edition of the Amherst Student.
The source of his conversion, Coons wrote, was a trip to Kenya he took during the spring semester of his junior year—a time away from America, he wrote, that served as a “catalyst” in altering a conservative political outlook that he was growing increasingly uncomfortable with.
“My friends now joke that something about Kenya, maybe the strange diet, or the tropical sun, changed my personality; Africa to them seems a catalytic converter that takes in clean-shaven, clear-thinking Americans and sends back bearded Marxists,” Coons wrote, noting that at one time he had been a “proud founding member of the Amherst College Republicans.”
For Coons, Kenya was an especially jarring experience that significantly influenced his already-changing political beliefs. He wrote that he was particularly troubled by his experience with Kenyan elites, who he said were utterly dismissive of the poor.
Just an example of how our youth grow and evolve. Anyone who thinks a paper written by a 21 year old Amhearst graduate is indicative of his or her opinions today, has never had much experience of growth. This is nothing to fear! Now, whether Coons is the guy to be in the Senate, that's another story. Just don't let your opinion be based on a college paper.
ReplyDeleteIt is almost humorous how the media can dig up informatiton on what a person did or said 20 or 30 years ago. NBC News had a clip on O'Donnell last night from the time she was in her 20's. As she pointed out, that was then, this is now. How many of us hold the same views as we did in college? I guess it will be a fair match-up, then, for Coons and O'Donnell.
ReplyDeleteWell if you look at action over words the Democrat party is acting like Marxists. Therefore I believe Coons still holds his belief and Delaware is better off not taking a chance.
ReplyDeleteGood, I'll still vote for him over O'Donnell any day. Anything to keep my GOP from being hijacked by you loony extremists.
ReplyDeleteHe went to Africa and their politica and social structures gave him pause for thought?? LOL! I must question his intelligence. The entire continent, with 1 or 2 exceptions, is mired in class and tribal warfare, with economies destroyed by warfare and corruption. He goes there and comes back lecturing Americans abount prosperity and economics?? And has he repudiated these writings? If he is smugly saying "I was 21 when I wrote that", that is not as good as saying "I was young and stupid....and wrong"...
ReplyDelete10:45 Your a Republican about as much as Nancy Pelosi! I can see right through you.
ReplyDeleteAlready "faces an unhill battle?" What? He is ahead by almost 10 percent over this loony Sarah Palin imitator in every poll so far. Don't be a sheep, don't believe everything that is printed or posted by right wing crazies.
ReplyDeleteThe article was for the commencement edition of his college newspaper. The title is a joke. His friends said he left a Republican and returned a "Bearded Marxist". The paper describes his change from a Republican to a Democrat due to the mis-application of American power he saw in Africa.
ReplyDeleteA lie travels around the world before the truth can get its boots on.
She is behind in the polls but the independents are leaning hard her way. If you wanted Castle why not switch parties he has a voting record aligned with the left. If we want real change with real people who want to save our country from falling apart why would you vote for someone who votes against the party line?
ReplyDelete