SINS OF T. AND A.

We'll believe we've seen about everything when we see a Hutchinson in
uniform. Both Senator Tim and former Congressman Asa diligently avoided
military service while others were suiting up for their country. (Asa is
now a fierce drug warrior, albeit in mufti, as head of the federal Drug
Enforcement Agency. It is more fun fighting drugs than human enemies, who
are bad to fight back.)

The closest the brothers have come to national defense happened up in
Northeast Arkansas the other day, when one of Tim's agents slapped a
Hutchinson campaign sticker on a National Guard armored vehicle that she
and the sticker then rode in a Fourth of July parade. God Bless America,
and Tim Hutchinson's re-election campaign.

It was a fairly disgraceful example of perverted patriotism, and the
National Guard issued a warning that it must not be repeated. In America,
the military is required to stay out of partisan politics. That's one of
the things we celebrate on July 4. Neither Hutchinson nor his campaign
staff has apologized for the affront. A spokesman, Anthony Hulen, offered a
whine instead: "No one can dare suggest that we are trying to take
advantage of our men and women in uniform for political gain." No one could
suggest otherwise.

Pray that Tim's resourcefulness doesn't inspire Asa to use National Guard
tanks to crush ailing marijuana users. He's already sicced DEA foot
soldiers on these unfortunates, even in states where voters have legalized
the use of medicinal marijuana. The will of the people is no concern of the
Hutchinsons', as they showed when they tried to depose an elected president.

On his last trip to Little Rock, a feverish Asa warned physicians not to be
"intimidated" by cancer sufferers into prescribing illegal pain- relieving
drugs. Intimidation is what Asa and his drug police do. Cancer victims
plead, and suffer.

Evidently, Christian compassion is not taught at Bob Jones U., the
Hutchinsons' alma mater. Nor Principles of Democracy, or American History,
either. For right-wing politics and religious bigotry, you couldn't find a
better place.