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Little lessons

"In truth, American politics has frequently been gripped by moral issues. It is one of the aspects of our history and culture that makes us different from most European democracies. ...

"The ritualistic condemnation of Christian fundamentalists neglects two things. The first: Secularists are just as likely to provoke moral outrage as are religious believers, yet we rarely read stories about the secular left. The second: Research shows that organizations of Christian fundamentalists are hardly made up of fire-breathers but rather are organizations whose members practice consensual politics and rely on appeals to widely shared constitutional principles. ...

"I draw lessons from the election, but not very deep ones. One is that the profound liberal bias among many big-city newspapers and most TV stations did not determine the outcome."

--James Q. Wilson, writing on "Why Did Kerry Lose?" Sunday in Opinion Journal at www.opinionjournal.com

Real on wheels

"Detroit-bred West Coast rapper Xzibit (a.k.a. 'X to the Z,' a.k.a. 'X,' a.k.a. 'Alvin Nathaniel Joiner') ... hosts ... the popular MTV reality-television show 'Pimp My Ride.' In rap, of course, the blind following the blind is nothing new. But what sets X and his show apart are their honest admissions about their enterprises. ...

"'Pimp My Ride' ... offers a big nod in the direction of the hotrod modding hits 'American Chopper' and 'Monster Garage,' but with a hip, youthful twist. Its opening titles flaunt kitsch 1970s graphics, a funky Isaac Hayes-like theme song, and the enjoyable high-low notion that the word 'pimp' has meandered out of the gutter and into the acceptable vernacular of all young people. ...

"X isn't trying to depict himself as other rappers in his position have -- a hard-core thug or untouchable CEO-humanitarian. ...