I wasn’t defending anti-intellectualism. Just pointing out that it’s stuff like that from college professors that feeds the anti-intellectualism movement. It’s the heavily liberal PC tone on most college campuses that causes people with conservative beliefs to detest those pointy headed intellectuals. When intellectualism gets equated with liberalism then people who are conservative are going to be anti-intellectual. I’m not saying that there are no conservative intellectuals, but the tone on many college campuses would make you believe that’s the case.
Professor Kristein’s comments were rude, a personal attack, and completely inappropriate for the email request for information that was made. It is the rudeness and the inappropriateness of the reply that caused the public outrage. There is a time and a place for blowing your wad like that, but that was not one of them.
Professor Kristein basically invoked Godwin’s Law against himself. He didn’t make the Hitler analogy, but given the tone of his reply he might as well have. If he is so full of hatred for all things military that he can’t even conduct a civil email exchange or conversation then he is never going to get anyone but the choir to listen to him.
Could you imagine taking a world history class from him? What would happen when he has to cover the end of WWII in the Pacific and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? I’m sure his presentation of the events would not be unbiased. I don’t even think he would be physically able to teach areas of history like that. All it would take is one student to say that the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified because it allowed us to win the war against Japan and the professor would go completely ballistic.
Oh okay thanks. In my town we have Saint Francis Xavier University, and often times people say Saint Xavier University. Rated number 1 in Canada for under-graduate universities and number 1 CIS Mens Hockey team, and number 1 Mens basketball the past few years excluding this year, if any unicyclists were curious and dwanted to attend and give me someone to ride with.
I would hardly call Peter Kristein’s reply anti-intellectual, because it has no connection to intellectualism. It is simply a nasty and over the top tirade against a well-meaning cadet. I would say that this professor is certainly anti-military in a broad and clumsy way that betrays his own ignorance, and certainly his own inability to try and sway others to his cause.
But typical of anti-intellectualism? No, that is easily found on the FOX News Channel, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, all those countless media types who prey on peoples insecurities, trying to blame intellectual “elites” on the countless problems in our country, when in fact, one could not be more elite than a Bush or a Cheney.
Trying to use Kristein’s quote as an example of “typical” liberal thought is like me using one of Anne Coulter’s more acidic quotes and saying “See, this is what all conservatives think!” It’s not true (or is it?)
By the way, there was a bit in Bugman’s infamous quote about burning the flag. I have been to loads of anti-war demonstrations in Washington DC and New York City. I have NEVER, not once, seen anyone attempting to burn the American flag. Never. Lots of people proudly carried them while marching, but no burning. There is this idea on the right-wing that all anti-war demonstraters are flag burners. That is such rubbish. Maybe in brussels or Pakistan or Chile they do that, but not here, and believe me, I’ve been to them all. There was a joke I heard at a demonstration–“Q: How do you spot the undercover cop at a demo? A: Easy–he’s the one burning the American flag in front of the news cameras to give us bad publicity.”
Now I don’t think that that ever happened, but it does explain the establishment trying to paint an unflattering picture of demonstraters…
Wait a minute–Now I see what you were saying–you were using this as an example to understand WHY there is an anti-intellectual strain, and not using the quote as an example of a lefty version of anti-intellectualism. I posted my reply too soon (I also had a bit of guiness), I slightly misunderstood what you said–still, my reply still stands, with achnoledgement that I misunderstood what you posted. (I am certainly no intellectual–look at my spelling!)
a concept that ranks tight up there with a ‘friendly peadophile’
does the intention change the outcome?
if the guys at my lai ‘meant well’, does that make their actions any less criminal?
the nurmburg defendants claimed to have no intention at all, they were simply following orders
and see where that got them
oh, and by the way, i’m still waiting for a pro-military type to respond to the link i posted about the SOA
i suspect i’ll be waiting a while…
Yea, I know what you mean, perhaps “naieve” would have been better.
I said “Well Meaning” only because it seems that so many Military types here in the USA (and gung-ho military fans, and war-cheerleaders) have really left out the notion of DEATH in military endeavers.
In America, war has really become sanitized.
So, probebly that cadet really was indeed “well meaning” from his own perspective.
Not that it makes recruiting on campus right in any way. I personally don’t like it.
In fact, I was totally pissed off when I went to take my two kids to see the new Harry Potter film, and suddenly there is this huge hard-core advertisement for the Army, one that practically romanticized combat. Shown to a theatre filled with children.
Army, army, military military military–come on, it’s everywhere now–give it a rest! There is more to life than just everyday going on about the military constantly. Life here in America is becomming too militeristic. It is not the America I grew up with anymore…
This is the most chilling example i’ve seen of war becoming ‘sanitized’ and ‘video-game-ified’
it’s like it wasn’t even human beings down there
scary, real scary
i’m sure the aforementioned ‘war-cheerleaders’ can’t wait to jump on this post and point out all the wonderful breakthru’s that were made for freedom and democracy and and and by the courageous actions of the guys hovering 2 miles away in a helicopter…
keep at it, the choir is listening
maybe one day u’ll even be able to convince yourselves
