January 9, 2007
Hypocrisy Posted by John Steele Gordon at 09:45 AM EST Joshua Zeitz writes, “Mr. Gordon accuses me of hypocrisy for arguing that states should restore the voting rights of ex-felons while also mocking Colson. On the contrary. Colson should absolutely be permitted to vote. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t recall the criminal operation he built and ran inside the Nixon White House . . .”
Mr. Zeitz argues that felons, once they have paid their debt to society, should be rehabilitated and welcomed back into the fold of the law-abiding. But he mocks one who has rehabilitated not only himself but thousands of others as well. Charles Colson did some very bad things a third of a century ago, as he is the first to acknowledge. But he has done many, many good things since, far more good things, selfless things, than I or, I’m sure, Mr. Zeitz have done. Mr. Zeitz was not recalling Watergate—a subject totally irrelevant to his point—he was simply mocking a man who has redeemed himself. Why? I can only guess that it is because Mr. Colson is guilty of the irredeemable crime of not being of the left and therefore deserving of no respect from Mr. Zeitz, whatever good works he may have done. It was a cheap shot, reflecting more on Mr. Zeitz’s character than on Mr. Colson’s.
Mr. Zeitz writes, “(Note to Mr. Gordon: Have I defended Webster Hubbell in these pages, or in any other forum? I don’t recall having done so. Unless he can refresh my memory, he should not intimate what is not true.)” As far as I know he has never mentioned Webster Hubbell, and I never said he had. Note to Mr. Zeitz: I do not intimate; I state. If I haven’t said something in so many words, then do not assume I have said it. Webster Hubbell and Charles Colson were both lawyers, both political intimates of Presidents, both crooks. Both went to jail. Since then, Mr. Colson has dedicated his life to helping others and redeeming his sins. Mr. Hubbell has done squat. Mr. Zeitz mocks Mr. Colson.
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