Notes on a Monday

No complaints about this Monday- le clase de francaise is cancelled. That means I only have the enjoyable American Congress and Philosophy of Science courses this afternoon. Previously, I succeeded in giving my Literature instructor what-for during one of her harangues about how civil liberties are under threat "like never before". Perhaps she forgets the alien and sedition acts of 1799, the martial law during the civil war (where one could be executed for being "un-American"), and the speech restrictions during the First World War that resulted in a ten-year sentence in federal prison. One might examine the fate of the detestable socialist Eugene V. Debs for an example of real war-time speech restriction.
This brings me to my primary point. Over-blown political rhetoric is epidemic in to-day's political climate, especially amongst the political left. All kinds of wild charges which even a cursory examination of history would dis-prove are brandished in the manner of weapons. Happily, their attacks can easily be blunted with a simple history lesson. However, there are many who are less educated that take this rhetoric to be the absolute truth. That's why it's important to return to the idea of school as an institution which passed on society's knowledge, rather than the post-modern Edward Said model of deconstructivist education leading to activism: meaning, of course, political indoctrination. A society of ill-educated activists is not a pleasant one to live in, as contemporary experience demonstrates.
On an unrelated note, I encourage all men to sign the white ribbon pledge to stamp out domestic violence. A true man with virtue (virtus) never engages in domestic violence. Nothing positive is demonstrated by abusing someone who is unable to fight back properly. Proper manliness is demonstrated by restraint, respect, and virtue. Those interested in manly virtues can find a good list here.