U.S. media pummels Edward Snowden with snobbishness

When they don't like you, media outlets can crucify you with irrelevant personal attacks. This means that there is always an out for those who don't really want to report a story. That's what happened regarding Edward Snowden. He didn't graduate from high school, though he did pick up a GED. Nonetheless, he has repeatedly been smeared as a "dropout." FAIR reports on this hatchet job.   It turns out that Snowden is in fine company. Consider this excerpt:

Consider these high-school dropouts: Founding father and genius inventor Benjamin Franklin. Founding Father and First President George Washington. The founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale. American aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright. The first lady of civil rights, Rosa Parks, who refused a Montgomery Alabama bus driver's order to give up her seat to a white passenger. The man who gave the world its most popular chocolate bar, Milton Hershey. Before he would become America's most beloved author, Mark Twain left school at the age of 12 to become a printer's apprentice. The great man who saved the Union, Abraham Lincoln.
There are many others, including Bill Cosby, and presumably Jesus. But as we've seen, calling someone a "dropout" is a selectively used weapon, not a truly relevant aspect to most stories. To compound things, many of the smartest people I know do not have college diplomas, yet they too are treated miserably by a society that seeks quick, easy and often wrong answers to the question of who is "smart" or worthy of respect. This is a travesty for all of us, credentialed or otherwise.

Continue ReadingU.S. media pummels Edward Snowden with snobbishness

About Americans

I know that this article at Bananenplanet is filled with generalizations, but many of them rang true to me. Thoughtful article that suggests that Americans need to look in the mirror. Here are some of the main points:

  • We Know Nothing About The Rest Of The World
  • The Quality of Life For The Average American Is Not That Great
  • The Rest Of The World Is Not A Slum-Ridden Shithole Compared To Us
  • We’re Paranoid
  • We’re Status-Obsessed And Seek Attention
  • We Are Very Unhealthy
  • We Mistake Comfort For Happiness

Continue ReadingAbout Americans

Common Sense, Grammar, and Original Intent

According to recent polls, a growing number of Americans believe that the Second Amendment was put in the Bill of Rights in order to guarantee that our government will not impose any kind of tyranny upon us. That an armed populace is a bulwark against government oppression. [More . . . ]

Continue ReadingCommon Sense, Grammar, and Original Intent