Spots on Leopards - A Watch on Ashcroft

North Miami Beach, FL 2-2-2001 Aaron H.
Schectman

THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then, Opinions pro or con are welcome.
SPOTS ON LEOPARDS - A WATCH ON ASHCROFT
The old saying is that a leopard is still a leopard even if he has no
spots. You can expect a leopard to slink among the branches of a tree and
drop silently down on a hapless passerby.

We can listen to Ashcroft never defend or disallow his attacks on a worthy
Supreme Court nominee. We do not hear him defend his positions on abortion,
homosexuals or the Southern rectitude in the Civil War. He did not defend
himself other than to say he would uphold the laws as the chief legal
officer in this country. The implication for all the rest of us is to watch
what he does.

He was defended by all 50 Republican Senators and 8 Democrats. All 58 in
the Senate where Ashcroft once served got behind him, listened to what he
said and believed he would do what was right. They did not see his spots
or, at least were not uncomfortable that he was a vicious unrepentant killer
of reputations. They obviously believed that carnivorous cats could become
vegetarians.

Ashcroft will be, must be, watched closely. Defeated by a dead man and
resurrected by a President who should fear for the shakiness of his own
electoral "victory" he should be very, very careful. But, you know what? He
will carefully be himself and justify himself like the river-crossing story.
This involved a land loving killer who made a bargain with a water loving
creature that he would never, never hurt the swimmer if he were to allow the
predator to ride on his back so he could get across that river. The promise
was that he SAID he would not do what he had done on countless occasions. "I
will change my spots - you can believe me". Of course we "know the rest of
the story". He was a killer and his word could not be trusted. In fact he
did himself in while succumbing to his need to kill.

The rest of the story should involve carefully watching this sullied
creature called the new Attorney General and do more than fume shamefacedly
when he shows his spots. I am not so much concerned with what Ashcroft
says. I am vitally interested in what he does. What do you think? Carol's
Evaluation: 10 out of 10.