Posted on 10/29/2009 3:54:21 PM PDT by jazusamo
Many years ago, at a certain academic institution, there was an experimental program that the faculty had to vote on as to whether or not it should be made permanent.
I rose at the faculty meeting to say that I knew practically nothing about whether the program was good or bad, and that the information that had been supplied to us was too vague for us to have any basis for voting, one way or the other. My suggestion was that we get more concrete information before having a vote.
The director of that program rose immediately and responded indignantly and sarcastically to what I had just said-- and the faculty gave him a standing ovation.
After the faculty meeting was over, I told a colleague that I was stunned and baffled by the faculty's fierce response to my simply saying that we needed more information before voting.
"Tom, you don't understand," he said. "Those people need to believe in that man. They have invested so much hope and trust in him that they cannot let you stir up any doubts."
Years later, and hundreds of miles away, I learned that my worst misgivings about that program did not begin to approach the reality, which included organized criminal activity.
The memory of that long-ago episode has come back more than once while observing both the actions of the Obama administration and the fierce reactions of its supporters to any questioning or criticism.
Almost never do these reactions include factual or logical arguments against the administration's critics. Instead, there is indignation, accusations of bad faith and even charges of racism.
Here too, it seems as if so many people have invested so much hope and trust in Barack Obama that it is intolerable that anyone should come along and stir up any doubts that could threaten their house of cards.
Among the most pathetic letters and e-mails I receive are those from people who ask why I don't write more "positively" about Obama or "give him the benefit of the doubt."
No one-- not even the President of the United States-- has an entitlement to a "positive" response to his actions. The entitlement mentality has eroded the once common belief that you earned things, including respect, instead of being given them.
As for the benefit of the doubt, no one-- especially not the President of the United States-- is entitled to that, when his actions can jeopardize the rights of 300 million Americans domestically and the security of the nation in an international jungle, where nuclear weapons may soon be in the hands of people with suicidal fanaticism. Will it take a mushroom cloud over an American city to make that clear? Was 9/11 not enough?
When a President of the United States has begun the process of dismantling America from within, and exposing us to dangerous enemies outside, the time is long past for being concerned about his public image. He has his own press agents for that.
Internationally, Barack Obama has made every mistake that was made by the Western democracies in the 1930s, mistakes that put Hitler in a position to start World War II-- and come dangerously close to winning it.
At the heart of those mistakes was trying to mollify your enemies by throwing your friends to the wolves. The Obama administration has already done that by reneging on this country's commitment to put a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe and by its lackadaisical foot-dragging on doing anything serious to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons. That means, for all practical purposes, throwing Israel to the wolves as well.
Countries around the world that have to look out for their own national survival, above all, are not going to ignore how much Obama has downgraded the reliability of America's commitments.
Iraq, for example, knows that Iran is going to be next door forever while Americans may be gone in a few years. South Korea likewise knows that North Korea is permanently next door but who knows when the Obama administration will get a bright idea to pull out? Countries in South America know that Hugo Chavez is allying Venezuela with Iran. Dare they ally themselves with an unreliable U.S.A.? Or should they join our enemies to work against us?
This issue is too serious for squeamish silence.
The author has masterful insight.
right on the money
BAD TIME TO BE TAIWANESE, I’d say...
I wonder what that experimental program was that led to organized criminal activity.
A great column, as usual.
The man skewers the folly of the left in one succinct sentence. Genius.
I have no idea but he sure laid out the organized criminal activity of Obama and he’s been doing that for months and months, it’s a shame Obama’s supporters don’t read Dr. Sowell’s writings.
Obozo’s supporters block, discard and ignore any information that doesn’t fit into their leftist agenda. It’s a symptom of the mental disorder known as liberalism.
Sowell is really rock solid. The man would be a good role model for anyone.
You can say that again!
“Almost never do these reactions include factual or logical arguments against the administration’s critics.”
Well, we ARE dealing with LibTards, Mr. Sowell, LOL!
Thanks for the reminder! That’s one of his I haven’t read. I just reserved it from the library. They have ONE copy...and I’m the only one that wants it, LOL!
I’m surprised I have access to it, as I’m pretty much the only Conservative in my town; hence the ONE copy. I’m sure my busy-body Librarian is noting my file and alerted the authorities the moment I reserved it...however the bums and low-lives can look at PORN all day on her FREE (taxpayer funded!) computers.
*Rolleyes*
Excellent article that hits at the heart of all that is going on with Zero’s destruction of America plans.
“This issue is too serious for squeamish silence.”....AMEN!
Had this conversation with liberal family member last week - “Why is there so much negativity out there ...for “any” President”.
I said - of course - that didn’t seem to be a problem for all the Bush bashing and Bush derangement syndrome that went on nonstop for 8 years.
I also said - IT’S HIS POLICIES AND THOSE OF THE DEMS IN CONGRESS THAT PEOPLE OPPOSE AND ARE FRIGHTENED ABOUT.
I also said every President starting with George Washington has had its very harsh critics. PUBLIC SCRUTINY AND REACTION TO THE PRESIDENT ARE GOOD THINGS!
(my comments totally did not make a dent)
Then this person descended into hysterics about how people (she talks to) attack Michelle Obama’s LOOKS and RACE.
And how horrible that is.
I said, but, then, America ELECTED a BLACK _RESIDENT knowing about his BLACK WIFE and still elected them....so doesn’t that mean America is now proven to be beyond her charges of “racism”?
(I also don’t like the Michelle attacks - there is way too much serious stuff to go after as Dr. Sowell so well states.)
Anyway, how I do wish this NPR listening person would just once read one of Thomas Sowell’s essays....just once.
One panel member began a question with "Well, since you have such faith in the free market..." and Sowell corrected her immediately: "I have evidence about the free market."
Well said, especially about Michelle and there being too many serious things to criticize Zer0 on as Dr. Sowell has pointed out for a year and a half or so.
I’m lucky that only one family member is liberal and she has come around some over the last few years and I’ve noticed quite a change since Zer0 was elected and things aren’t going like he promised, guess she realized GWB wasn’t as bad as she thought.
You ARE fortunate, especially that your liberal relative has come around a bit - especially now!
Well I have quite a few liberal loved ones...and, yes, I still love them.
They all listen to NPR.
I have decided THAT is the thing that holds many in the liberalisimo mindset fast.
The one thing that IS beginning to make a dent in these lovable lugheads is the economy being so sour.
THEY are being affected.
Course they mostly blame President Bush - but at least they see that Zero has no clue as to how to turn the economy around or he and his fellow Dems would have done it by now.
(They don’t yet understand that his policies are PURPOSEFULLY destroying our economy...but I trust they will one day - but it will be too late then.....)
Iraq, for example, knows that Iran is going to be next door forever while Americans may be gone in a few years. South Korea likewise knows that North Korea is permanently next door but who knows when the Obama administration will get a bright idea to pull out? Countries in South America know that Hugo Chavez is allying Venezuela with Iran. Dare they ally themselves with an unreliable U.S.A.? Or should they join our enemies to work against us?
Lives are at stake - there can be no "benefit of the doubt"...
Begun?
Obama is hardly the who started this process. It's been going on a long, long time. Obama's just picking up where the others left off.
Excellent piece.
Very good point! However, the pride one gains by being able to say “Told you so” is oh so distasteful when standing among the ruins at your feet. Better to jump from the approach of an oncoming train or prevent its motion than to accept the inevitability of being run over.
CW2 Ping
Outstanding essay by Sowell.
“Dare they ally themselves with an unreliable U.S.A.? Or should they join our enemies to work against us?”
Well put.
Sowell nailing it completely, as usual. He is clearly one of the great minds and scholars of our day.
I would love to meet him and thank him for his great work.
If you have not read Sowell’s “Vision Of The Annointed” by all means do so...written several years ago, it clearly lays out so much of what we are seeing today.
No, America did not elect a Black President.
The traitors to America, aided and abetted by the Republican Party and the alphabet “news” organizations a/k/a as the Democrat Party propganda arm, elected a hakf Black President.
There is a difference. There is also a big difference between a Conservative and a Republican.
Thank you. I will get it for my husband for Christmas.
“I wonder what that experimental program was that led to organized criminal activity.”
I dunno, but for insight into CURRENT criminal activity, let’s call Blankfein at Goldman Sachs, and Bernanke ;-)
“”When a President of the United States has begun the process of dismantling America from within, and exposing us to dangerous enemies outside, the time is long past for being concerned about his public image.”
CW2 Ping
Yes. Obama’s public image be damned!
Just occurred to me that not only are we on the cusp of many nations turning on their neighbors (China on Taiwan, Iran on Israel, etc.) and thus the Obama et al must ram their agenda thru ASAP before such global festivities ensue, and not only will the Lefist agenda not pass precisely because international complications will soon overshadow such petty dealings, but the Left will become outraged that their agenda goes uncompleted due to greater concerns. Opposed by the Right, befuddled by the World, the Obama will be stunned to find his most rabid supporters turn on him just as rabidly for failing to be their all-succeeding messiah.
Agreed that “told you so” is a poor substitute for having attempted to do something to make a difference and that was what I was trying, however poorly, to give Dr. Sowell credit for in his columns and books. I do believe him to be a positive and proactive person.
zerO *&* his image {spit} is, have been & shall remain as synthetic as the It, itself. He's a beard. Period.
The bloody monsters behind the phony are the real enemy, here. Cutting their strings to the fraudulent beard & other imps means only another puppet drops down to take Its place.
So it's not only the monsters, it's their damned cycle of deceit & control that needs to be utterly obliterated.
"At the heart of those mistakes was trying to mollify your enemies by throwing your friends to the wolves. The Obama administration has already done that by reneging on this country's commitment to put a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe and by its lackadaisical foot-dragging on doing anything serious to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons. That means, for all practical purposes, throwing Israel to the wolves as well."
Well?
If Dr. Sowell gets it. Most conservatives get it. The remainder of America's allies get it. WTH's up with America's Jews that they don't?
Yes standing idly today just so after the fall one may stand among the ruins reminding survivors, "I told you so." is about as Pyrrhic a victory as there can possibly be. No argument there.
The again while unacceptable, the salient question has to be: What can anyone really do except let the monsters play-out their game, yank the beard's strings, and watch it all succumb to the inevitable & undeniable reality of gravity?
Thanks for an outstanding read, once again, jaz. ;^)
B U M P
Thomas Sowell has to be one of the wisest men in America. Sarah Palin needs to latch onto him and keep him in her inner circle of advisers.
That is an outstanding suggestion. If Dr. Sowell would consent to advising Sarah Palin she would benefit tremendously in so many different areas.
Heck, I would like him to be MY mentor.
Vision Of The Annointed deals primarily with the mind and belief systems of liberals...Sowell examines the how and why of their world view and the trouble it always brings.
ROFL - that is EXACTLY what it’s like! Cute picture - thanks!
Why are you assuming she can read? She is a liberal/Marxist.
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