The Left's Convenient Villain
I have some idea. There has long been in this country a racist stereotype that anyone who traces his ancestry to Latin America is predisposed to violence. When liberals see Gonzales, they see revolutions, Central American death squads and Mexican drug cartels. It's easy to believe that he supports torture.
Even so, Gonzales seems at peace.
"In government, you can't expect people to think of what you do in a fair way," he said. "All you can do is explain what you're doing and why. I still think we can protect America in a way that is consistent with our values and the law."
Gonzales is no stranger to controversy. But it isn't something you get used to.
Students and faculty at Belmont, a small Christian college, are circulating a petition to get him fired because of the role they think he played in shaping the interrogation tactics detailed in the Senate report.
So what if the dots don't connect. It sounds as though Gonzales' critics aren't thinking at all. That part, he is used to.
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Ruben Navarrette's email address is ruben@rubennavarrette.com.
Copyright 2014 Washington Post Writers Group
