Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

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Lt. Gov-elect Kleefisch blurs line between democracy, theocracy

Imminent job prospects appear bleak and downright depressing, so it seemed apropos when my scruffy roommate proposed we open an all-night chapel on State Street. Since the last thing it needs is another greasy spoon, a temple of elopement that solidified bonds between lovers in matrimony (regardless of how intoxicated, strung out or imbalanced they were) seemed profitable. Furthermore, said connubial palace would enforce no restrictions regarding gender, color, creed or composition of matter; thus, if a drunken Packer fan loved his bucket of cheese curds so much that he opted to marry it, our institution would non-judgmentally espouse the union.

Of course, this establishment would taste the stern but fair hand of the Wisconsin judicial system. Its feasibility may be questioned, but we were merely entertaining the idea. Interestingly enough, marrying fried curds of cheddar, or any inanimate object for that matter, is an actual concern for some of us, most especially for Christian fundamentalist Lieutenant Governor-elect, Rebecca Kleefisch.

In late October, Kleefisch sunk our battleship weeks before she left port on public radio, by pronouncing marriage among gays to be as illegitimate as that among clocks or dogs.

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It appears Mrs. Kleefisch is a righteous supporter of the complete and utter integration of church and state. Earlier this year, she informed a Wisconsin crowd that her political charge would be dictated by “the wisdom and faith she has in Jesus.” Rather than doing anything reasonable – like utilizing her power to propagate or reinforce constitutionality in decision making – our Lt. Gov.-elect will strive in her power to let the Lord Jesus Christ go about his bidding.

Now, breathe easy because Lieutenant Governors, although official-sounding, hold insignificant roles in government. A wary eyebrow must be raised, however, considering Wisconsin has a history of Lieutenants stepping up to the gubernatorial plate mid-term. If Walker happens to keel over in the next four years, we may have an angry Kleefisch on our hands trying to force feed us the Body and the Blood.

As with many political newcomers this season, Kleefisch, bearing apparently no meaningful political experience, topped her relatively established opponents. Not much is known about her since she refused to debate her democratic counterpart in the recent election. We do know, however, that her qualifications for a Governor “are a Christian man who can actually right our financial ship instead of just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.” So much for feminism. And don’t be wooed into complacency that the likes of her will disappear soon. Quite to the contrary, “kleefisches” are multiplying. Christine O’Donnell, running for Delaware’s senate seat and representing herself as an expert on the Constitution, voiced doubt that it really separated church from state. And even more outrageous was the fact that people voted for her in droves.

It is unlikely Walker will muzzle Kleefisch, so we can only hope the Governor-elect will keep a taut leash on his disciple; regardless of her power, the social implications of electing a Kleefisch do not bode well for a society that is battling suicide and depression. I can hardly imagine her opinion on social advocacy groups for the LGBT community – just a bunch of clocks and dogs and doors, I’d imagine.

Recent suicides have forced issues, such as bullying and offensive language, to the front pages of newspapers around the country. To chastise one’s fellow denizens has proved to be a systemic problem in our United States. It has gravely and fatally affected our youth. The Lieutenant Governor-elect appears incapable of embracing an environment of inclusion and, instead, seeks to sever helping ties to those in society who need them most – so much for the credos assigned to the figure of Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, disturbing issues are raised by the emergence of ill-informed political upstarts, such as Kleefisch, who refuse to debate and withstand rigorous questioning by constitutionally protected mainstream media. Perceptive minds view this lack of transparency as a smoke screen, designed to conceal the flaws of ignorant and poorly educated minds. In contrast, followers buy into their oft-recited clich?s blaming the “liberal media” for asking tricky questions. Whatever happened to respect for penetrating questions that expose the presence (or lack) of prerequisite reflection and savvy in potential leaders? And what does it tell us about the future of our constitution when officials who refuse to disclose their platforms to major media outlets are elected anyway?

Only God can foresee the impact Rebecca Kleefisch and her “Christ-centered” mission will play in Wisconsin politics. Her mere presence, however, suggests an increasingly suffocating atmosphere that will proffer a debilitating hangover to a people famished for acceptance and for wise leadership. Be it Wiccan, Scientology or Evangelicism, we’d better all sit up a bit straighter when people waving flags of democracy lead us right down the path to theocracy.

Dennis O’Reilly ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in economics.

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