Anti-intellectualism on parade. Although Bill Kristol is trying to mock 'the intellectuals' -- he instead summarizes the problems with today's Republican party, in a nutshell. He believes that 'the common man' applauds the 'dumbing down' of arguments in this election - a neo-con mistake that will likely cost them the election...and hopefully the party. We all need to be afraid when critical thinking and informed discussion are overrun by simple-minded name-calling.
Here the People Rule
By WILLIAM KRISTOL
NYTimes.com, October 20, 2008
A few points --
1. Conservatives’ hearts have always beaten a little faster when they read Horace’s famous line: “Odi profanum vulgus et arceo.” “I hate the ignorant crowd and I keep them at a distance.” --- I think with this line he summarizes the belief system of the neo-cons, which is EXACTLY what people are responding to in this election.
2.Indeed, as Sept. 11 did not result in a much-feared (by intellectuals) wave of popular Islamophobia or xenophobia, so the market crash has resulted in remarkably little popular hysteria or scapegoating. -- Really?? I would imagine if you asked members of the Muslim American community if there hasn't been a wave of popular Islamophobia, they might have a different view than Mr. Kristol. And the folks at WaMu might have a different view on how much scapegoating occurred as the run on their banks was underway.
3. The media elites really hate that idea. Not just because so many of them prefer Obama. But because they like telling us what’s going to happen. They’re always annoyed when the people cross them up. -- and here you have it. Kristol isn't talking about intellectuals as a group, he's mad at the press. The non-Fox news press. Because as a 20 minute viewing at any time of the day will show, Fox News does indeed like to tell us what will happen.
4.”Here the people rule.” -- indeed they do. And come Nov 5th, we'll see what they said. If Obama wins, will Bill Kristol hold to his pronouncements in this Op-Ed, or will we get a piece on how the intellectual elite fooled the common man??
1 comment:
Forget Blue states. America is Beige. Like those pestel revolutions in Yougreen and Tealand. We must take to the streets with people power and keep them from steeling the election again. The party of Timothy McVeigh and Pat Bucannon inflicts terrorism like Waco and Rudy Ridge. What is wrong with a few thousand Jews dead on 9/11 when so many slaves got genocide. The Greek Benaki Louisiana shipping and the Lehman Alabama finance brought them over from the Lords of Hartum.
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