Peggy Noonan: Left Lacks Grace

Today, on Friday 13th, America’s Mom Peggy Noonan asks Democrats to ask themselves a question:

Why are we producing so many adherents who defy the old liberal virtues of free and open inquiry, free and open speech? Why are we producing so many bullies? And dim dullard ones, at that.

She produces as evidence four anti-free-speech events of the last ten days:

1. The silencing of Jim Gilchrist, immigration activist, at Columbia University. Gilchrist is head of the Minutemen, a group that patrols the Mexican border.
   
2. The outrage over the comments on CBS News’ “Free Speech” segment by the father of a boy killed at Columbine High School. He said
   “For over two generations the public school system has taught in a moral vacuum... We teach there are no moral absolutes, no right or wrong, and I assure you the murder of innocent children is always wrong, including abortion. Abortion has diminished the value of children.”
   
3. Barbra Streisand’s outburst against a man who voiced an objection to her anti-Bush segment at her Madison Square Garden concert.
   
4. Anti-gun Rosie O’Donnell’s tirade against a mom who said that women have a right to defend themselves.
   

Peggy Noonan speculates that there seems to be missing from the left in America “an element of grace” that accepts that disagreement is part of the fabric.

What also seems missing is the courage to ask a question. Conservatives these days are asking themselves very many questions, but I wonder if the left could tolerate asking itself even a few.

Well, yes. Because when you start asking questions you have to accept the risk that you may not like the answer.