"Ask yourself: how has 'elitism' become a bad word in American politics? There is simply no other walk of life in which extraordinary talent and rigorous training are denigrated. We want elite pilots to fly our planes, elite troops to undertake our most critical missions, elite athletes to represent us in competition and elite scientists to devote the most productive years of their lives to curing our diseases. And yet, when it comes time to vest people with even greater responsibilities, we consider it a virtue to shun any and all standards of excellence. When it comes to choosing the people whose thoughts and actions will decide the fates of millions, then we suddenly want someone just like us, someone fit to have a beer with, someone down-to-earth—in fact, almost anyone, provided that he or she doesn't seem too intelligent or well educated."
http://www.newsweek.com/id/160080/output/print
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sam Harris on Palin
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How unfortunate that Newsweek decided to title this piece "When Atheists Attack." Yes, Sam Harris is a noted atheist, but many Christians I know would agree with everything he says in this piece. The arguments aren't based on atheism. Of course, popular media can't pass up a chance to portray an atheist as a belligerent attack dog...
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