Has Thomas Sowelled us out?
Once again my heart aches as one of my heroes, columnist Thomas Sowell, once again seems to be endorsing the fascist state.
In a column of late August, he makes several remarks in his usual intelligent fashion: "Someone once said that a fool can put on his coat better than a wise man can put it on for him. The implications of that undermine most of the agenda of the political left."
And "What is more frightening than any particular policy or ideology is the widespread habit of disregarding facts. Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey put it this way: 'Demagoguery beats data.'"
In fact, almost every comment in that "Random thoughts" column is a gem, of varying worth, but he almost negates it all with this: "One of the few encouraging signs to come out of France has been the ban on head scarves in schools there, despite protests these are traditional among Islamic girls. No one has a right to come into someone else's society and insist on playing by the rules of some other society. We in America need to understand that as regards language, among other things."
Such a strange, may I say ridiculous, comment is so unlike what I remember about Thomas Sowell, I wonder if he perhaps is on medication of some kind. If he perhaps needs some medication.
His opposition to religious freedom, his support of anti-freedom fascism, is, frankly, downright shocking.
The old Sowell would have suggested, rather than more state regimentation, that the Islamic girls attend private schools or be home schooled (and that if there ain't such a thing in France, then they should start it).
A few years ago, during one of his Harold Stassen-like presidential campaigns, Ralph Nader was on a C-SPAN show and was asked about a comment Dr. Sowell had made.
Nader sneered, in his expressionless way, to the effect that Sowell had made many mistakes in his public utterances over the years.
Well, up to that time, Sowell had made about one-millionth as many mistakes as Nanny State Advocate Nader had made.
Nader hasn't improved much, but Sowell seems to be declining in rationality. I hate to see it.
In a column of late August, he makes several remarks in his usual intelligent fashion: "Someone once said that a fool can put on his coat better than a wise man can put it on for him. The implications of that undermine most of the agenda of the political left."
And "What is more frightening than any particular policy or ideology is the widespread habit of disregarding facts. Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey put it this way: 'Demagoguery beats data.'"
In fact, almost every comment in that "Random thoughts" column is a gem, of varying worth, but he almost negates it all with this: "One of the few encouraging signs to come out of France has been the ban on head scarves in schools there, despite protests these are traditional among Islamic girls. No one has a right to come into someone else's society and insist on playing by the rules of some other society. We in America need to understand that as regards language, among other things."
Such a strange, may I say ridiculous, comment is so unlike what I remember about Thomas Sowell, I wonder if he perhaps is on medication of some kind. If he perhaps needs some medication.
His opposition to religious freedom, his support of anti-freedom fascism, is, frankly, downright shocking.
The old Sowell would have suggested, rather than more state regimentation, that the Islamic girls attend private schools or be home schooled (and that if there ain't such a thing in France, then they should start it).
A few years ago, during one of his Harold Stassen-like presidential campaigns, Ralph Nader was on a C-SPAN show and was asked about a comment Dr. Sowell had made.
Nader sneered, in his expressionless way, to the effect that Sowell had made many mistakes in his public utterances over the years.
Well, up to that time, Sowell had made about one-millionth as many mistakes as Nanny State Advocate Nader had made.
Nader hasn't improved much, but Sowell seems to be declining in rationality. I hate to see it.
posted by Michael Morrison @ 10:28:00 PM
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