Comic Churchill

Here's an amusing article about Ward Churchill. I like the way Labash approaches his subject. I also find the view of the fringe funny in a disturbing way. Have to give Labash credit, I don't have the time or inclination to spend arguing with this Walking Eagle. Now that's comedy.

"Why doesn't Bush do something?!?"

....exclaimed a co-worker in reference to high gasoline prices yesterday. Followed by her rant that I think included the federal crime of threatening the president, as well as petulant personal commentary regarding his "beady little eyes."
While I don't fully understand the national crude oil reserves and the presidents powers to control these reserves, why should the president be involved in manipulating oil markets? Hey, no one hates high gas prices more than I do. I'm driving one of the biggest behemoths on the road and it hurts to "filler up." I'm probably in the market for a new vehicle soon, and I'll have some real choices to make, but one of them is not to ask the president to manage gas prices.
Makes you kinda wonder about drilling in Alaska again, doesn't it? Interesting ANWR article here.
Immediately after the above exclamation, a chorus of voices said, "Yeah!!" I was struck by the need of these people to have the government fix their problems. By and large, I DON'T want the goverment fixing my problems. Certainly a minority here at work, YIKES!

How long till I'm de-sensitized?

I guess it's been a few moments since I was shocked by what passes as academia here in the good ol US of A. Check this article. Obviously I wish the European professor had identified himself and the institution where he's employed, but still provides a chilling picture. A particular comment of grave concern:

In issue after issue, the liberal college professor is very critical of America and the values that it stands for. I have heard American college professors tell me – or students – that we cannot say whether our way of government is better than what they had in, e.g., Iraq under Saddam Hussein. This goes hand-in-hand with the Euro-phoria that many campus liberals are caught up in: American government, American way of life, is liable to all sorts of criticism, while much of the rest of the world gets a free pass.

We can't say our government is better than the tyranny and despotism under Saddam Hussein? What? You cannot be serious! A college professor can make this statement with a straight face? That's ludicrous. As an aside, I'm making the assumption that the comparison is between the Federal Republic here in God's Country and pre-liberated Iraq. I don't dare to suppose that the professor is making the argument that the seedling representative democracy trying to take root in the desert is more finely crafted than the US Constitution. Ha!
In theory, I suppose the college campus is the place to debate the merits of our system and to apply the tenets of critical thinking. I assume that the reason for this educational process is to improve the objects debated and critiqued. Or at least improve ones understanding of these noble ideals. Not to mock, belittle or diminish the ideas (oh the crime against diversity!) that have served as the guiding principles of the society that allows that process to take place. Wonder if any of that was going on in old Iraq? Doubt it.
Whatever the goal of colleges and universities in America, it should not be to turn our country into a "second Europe." Heck, those luminaries kicked out most of our ancestors. The smarter of our forebears fled the European continent to pursue a dream. Are there figures available detailing the immigration to Iraq? Doubt it.
I can safely say that we definitely have a better system of government than was available in Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Or anywhere else on the globe.

Also, can you draw any correlation between the European systems of government and this?