Modern conservative people make me laugh.
They honestly believe that utopia is based on a “proper set of beliefs” based on ultra-right religion, fear, prayer, subjugation and other fun things. They believe that a well-rounded education is actually a path to immorality, evil and destruction. Witness this list of history’s most dangerous books.
Now I agree that some of these books speak of very questionable material. But censorship is not the answer. Knowledge is power, and knowing what the bad stuff actually is – through actual knowledge of the subject, rather than parroting somebody else’s misguided or misinformed belief – leads to true understanding, intellectual growth, and other truly good things.
And as Sam just noted to me: where are The Bible and the Koran in this list? Given that these two books have been the catalyst for a lot of death and destruction over the years, it seems a bit strange that they’d be excluded. Of course, that’s the theocon way.
Andrew Clem
6 June 2005 — 21:18
For the record, the list was of “most harmful” books, not “most dangerous” (which might imply a need to stamp out), and I couldn’t find any suggestion from Human Events that those books should be censored. You paint conservatives with too broad a brush, and those you call “Theocons” are just the most visible, not the mainstream. I always teach varying perspectives, including Marx, and in my experience the P.C. Left tends to be less open to dialogue than the stodgy old Right.
Grand Poobah
7 June 2005 — 08:59
Agreed, I’m a bit harsh in painting all conservatives as closed-minded. Indeed, just as liberals come in all flavors, so do conservatives. And I agree with a lot of fiscal conservatism, just not with the lion’s share of social conservatism.
And I’m in full agreement with your view on the P.C. left. I’m not a huge fan of political correctness, as it seems to drive wedges between people, rather than set a so-called “neutral playing ground.”