When Is Enough Pandering Really Enough?

Chronicles Magazine editorial ^ | October 2020 | Paul Gottfried

[rlmorel]

“..That’s a popular line among the historically illiterate, useful for it’s political convenience. And it works because most people have a cartoonish idea of American history...”

Ah, the old “Their opinion doesn’t count because they aren’t real academics” viewpoint.

It is as if an academic is the only one qualified to discuss an issue, and an academic is somehow the only one who is right.

The same elitist crap I hear from the Left about global warming. They disparage anyone who disagrees with them by saying they aren’t climate specialists.

I can respect an academic, but academics aren’t the end all-be all of truth. They have biases and stupidities that blind them, they just think their crap doesn’t stink, and they have followers who like to think the same thing.

I have the misfortune of being on vacation in a farm house that is owned and operated by an academic historian and his wife. And my oh my, are his book shelves full of books. Floor to ceiling, whole walls worth. I have had plenty of time to peruse his collection, there is a lot of knowledge in those books.

And the person is a rabid moonbat level 5 Leftist.

So, your influential friend with his published books may be an academic, but there are limits on the value of his opinion as well as any other.

On the issue of Race which is one of the most critical issues in this country right now, I am more prepared to accept the viewpoints of the black authors such as Sowell, Elder, and even the novice Candace Owens on race relations, than the cloistered desiccated view of a man who has indigestion because the Republican Party has chosen to change its tack to get its valid message out to all Americans, but black Americans in particular, that they are backing the wrong horse.

Getting that message out is far, far more important than the pathetic hurt feelings of someone because the “Southern Man” is somehow disparaged.

The Southern Men I know understand they aren’t those Southern Men from the last century, any more than Americans today aren’t the ones that tolerated slavery hundreds of years ago.

[Albion Wilde]

That would at most be spending and only for state schools.

Just as I already said.

[rlmorel]

Pelham, I apologize. I didn’t mean to get this contentious on this.

I pulled the trigger on this by focusing on the author’s criticism which seemed whiny to me, and I just pulled that one paragraph out of context.

I had no idea who the guy was, that one aspect just hit me wrong and I replied with unnecessary venom (which was likely wrong calling him a “Leftist Turd” when I had no clue who he was.)

He is obviously someone you respect, and I no doubt caused you to come to his defense.

I have seen your posts for some years and generally respect your opinions on things, this was an unnecessary provocation on my part.

It is generally not what I come to Free Republic for, and something I try to avoid. I just descended into a tit-for-tat exchange and ratcheted up the vitriol unnecessarily.

My apologies.

[a fool in paradise]

You are a cheerleader for this guy into me he is a relevant thank you goodbye