The question is 'Why?' Has America reached this point, where we cheer the demagogy of higher education. Fuck, we don't need no engineers, scientists, doctors, historians. Them bastards just think they know shit we don't know.
62% of college students who enter steeped in faith, leave without it. Hmm, so college educated students think something different than when they were 7 and going to Sunday school. How can Santorum actually say colleges indoctrinate adults and not be hit upside the head by an exploding irony meter? I guess where he comes from all those weeks of Sunday school that 4-10 year olds go to isn't indoctrination, but those courses 18-21 year olds choose to take are. Of course we have our ACLU dog whistle. You know, I never hear the right wing talk about those cases where the ACLU defends the rights of Christian students. (Of course it's not about defending rights, it's about Christian hegemony).
62% of college students who enter steeped in faith, leave without it. What does that say about your faith Rick?
What's Santorum's solution? Stop funding higher education. Yeah, fuck em. They just think they know shit and stuff.
This isn't just a bat-shit crazy fucknut Santorum, Gingrich said much the same:
'Take back power from the minority elite.' Not trying to blow any racist dog-whistles there are you.
So we have the right-wing bringing out ELITIST as a derogatory term, yet again. I'm not sure they actually put it away, but it is front and center again especially when it comes to Obama (you know the guy raised by a single mom without a trust fund or rich parents to pave the way, although she was educated so obviously elitist). Of course when republicans are talking about the elites, they are talking about the college educated. They are not talking about the multi-millionaires, like Romney. They are not talking about those with the keys to power, like Boehner or Gingrich. They are not talking about the aristocracy, just the serfs who were fortunate enough to have the ability to think above their station. They are talking about those people who have studied hard, probably taken a bunch of student loans they are still paying back, and learned something most people may not know or understand very well. This seems to piss the aristocracy off, so they call us elites to fire up the rest of the serfs to hate those serfs were able to leave serfdom behind. Yet somehow the aristocracy avoids being called on their position of eliteness. By the way, I don't have any reservations using aristocracy, look at who are leaders are. Bush, Bush Jr, Jeb. Mitt and George. Teddy and Franklin. Power is concentrated in the few, and they want it to stay that way. Education can be a great equalizer and most of the entrenched elites aren't fans.
This is the problem with readily available education. If you are smart enough (and butt-ass lucky if you happen to come from an impoverished background), you can enter into the halls of these educated elites. Those college professors and instructors do not care who your daddy was and what kind of car you drive (hell, my 'new' car was 10 years old when I bought it). You can become the leaders of tomorrow in whatever field you chose, but since your parents weren't already part of this elite group, the aristocracy does not approve.
It almost warrants a high school analogy. Republicans are talking about those geeks and nerds that could help you with your homework in high school. You know back when the geeks and nerds knew their place. See the jocks had the world on a stick then, they could be good at football or basketball and people cheered, the town supported them, everyone wanted to be their friend. Of course the nerds and geeks had their spelling bees and science fairs and maybe we could appreciate the star tennis player or track star occasionally, but those didn't really count to the world at large. The true elites have always liked their position and really don't want any of you non-elites fucking with their chi.
It almost warrants a high school analogy. Republicans are talking about those geeks and nerds that could help you with your homework in high school. You know back when the geeks and nerds knew their place. See the jocks had the world on a stick then, they could be good at football or basketball and people cheered, the town supported them, everyone wanted to be their friend. Of course the nerds and geeks had their spelling bees and science fairs and maybe we could appreciate the star tennis player or track star occasionally, but those didn't really count to the world at large. The true elites have always liked their position and really don't want any of you non-elites fucking with their chi.
3 comments:
I agree with your main point. Santorum is an ass. Your rant, however, makes some pretty big logical leaps and ignores plenty of counterexamples. I know it’s a rant and rants aren’t supposed to be the most thoroughly reasoned opinions. Nevertheless, I thought I’d help you refine your argument. You’re welcome.
You suggest that Gingrich (an even bigger ass than Santorum) is blowing a racist dog whistle. Okay, that’s not so unbelievable. But then you say that the “right” (who decides what “right” and “left” mean anyway?) views Obama as an elitist because he was educated despite his impoverished and broken family. Like Obama, Gingrich (I’ve already stipulated that the man is an ass) also came from a poor and broken family, got PhD and became a professor before entering politics. It’s not the education that makes someone elite (in the derogatory sense) in some people’s minds. Clinton and Romney both have impressive academic qualifications. Romney and John Kerry (and FDR and JFK) are (were) ridiculously wealthy. But to Democrats Romney is an elitist (he owns a vacation home in New Hampshire!!!) and John Kerry isn’t and to Republicans Bill Clinton is an elitist and Mitt Romney isn’t. The distinction is driven by political prejudices and not by anti-intellectualism. By the way, can you remember a presidential candidate who was geekier that Mitt Romney? Have you heard him try to make a joke? Obama’s basketball skills and doobie-smoking youth make Romney look pretty square by comparison. Maybe if Mitch Daniels had gotten into the race there would have been some competition.
Also-perhaps I’m reading much more into this than I should-you seem to insinuate that humble beginnings and education somehow give someone moral credence for his worldview. As mentioned, Gingrich grew up poor, got an education, and became a professor (and an ass) on his way to his political career. John Huntsman was born the first son of the multibillionaire CEO of a multinational chemical company (I like words that start with multi). It’s the spoiled rich Mormon kid and not the professor that “believe[s] in evolution” and “trusts the scientists on global warming.” If the choice were between these two who would you prefer for president? Or who do you admire more, JFK, the son of a billionaire (with inflation taken into account) or Herman Cain, who earned a graduate degree despite being born to a poor family?
The republican debates are just a rerun of "the gong show." Don't expect any serious content.
Sharia law is only bad when its brown skinned people practicing it! If its a privileged white person trying to institute theocracy in a western country, its just morality.
Yes, I am being sarcastic. Santorum needs to curl up in his sweater vest and fade into obscurity...fast.
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