What a Surprise...

[Skeptic]

Here--according to an article (http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2004/01/04/professors_at_war/) in boston.com , with a link at the excellent www.butterfliesandwheels.com -- is a description of how the political stance of the "Modern Language Association" (e.g., American English professors) changed recently.

You have one guess what the change was. A representative quote by a disgruntled participant:

Just a few years ago, he noted, the Taliban was regularly attacked at MLA meetings for their treatment of women and likened to the American religious right. Now, there is only talk of how the United States has taken away the rights of the Afghan people.

There should really be a political version of Newton's Third Law: "any action by the US government results in an equal and opposite criticism from academia." (The difference being, of course, that unlike the reaction in Newton's original law, academia's reaction has no real-world consequences).

[Crossbow]

Originally posted by Skeptic
Here--according to an article (http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2004/01/04/professors_at_war/) in boston.com , with a link at the excellent www.butterfliesandwheels.com -- is a description of how the political stance of the "Modern Language Association" (e.g., American English professors) changed recently.

...

So what? A few dozen English professors giving speeches to each other about they view the war in Iraq and the war in Afganistan.

Big deal! These folks do this sort of thing all the time. Please note, that most of the partipants at this event were job hunting and that there were many other discussions besides the anti-war ones.

Also, the below is a better link to the story in question.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2004/01/04/professors_at_war/

[Nasarius]

Clearly, all academics hate America (http://www.workingforchange.com/comic.cfm?itemid=16230).

[Mr Manifesto]

Why don't we have "Skeptic"'s Law?

If someone or something is worse than the United States of America, you cannot criticise the United States of America.

[Mr Manifesto]

"Skeptic"'s Second Law:

A person criticising the Israeli government is anti-Semitic.

[Mr Manifesto]

Ed's Axiom:

All Arabs are evil. This is not a racist opinion, this is an axiom understood by those who aren't swayed by the Politically Correct.

[Zero]

Originally posted by Mr Manifesto
Why don't we have "Skeptic"'s Law?

If someone or something is worse than the United States of America, you cannot criticise the United States of America.

You know, when I read staements like the one that was quoted in the first post I think of something like "When that wife of mine got cancer, all she did was whine and complain about cancer. Now she's getting help, and all she does is whine and complain that her hair fell out, she pukes every 45 minutes, and she is too weak to get around. What the hell does she want, anyways? To be healthy or something?!?"

[Mr Manifesto]

Cleopatra's Theorem:

While all countries hate Jews to some extent, including the Americans, this is especially true of Europeans. The level of Jew hatred in Europe increases in proportion to the distance of the country from Israel.

[Mr Manifesto]

JAR's Law:

As the number of days the US occupies Iraq increaes, the probability of the Weapons of Mass Destruction being found approaches 1.

[Mr Manifesto]

shanek's Law:

As the number of posts promoting Libertarianism increases, the probability of the entire world converting to Libertarianism approaches one.

[Mr Manifesto]

Richard G's Theroem:

There is no social ill that cannot be solved by the passing of a law that allows the concealed carrying of a handgun.

[Jon_in_london]

Originally posted by Skeptic
(The difference being, of course, that unlike the reaction in Newton's original law, academia's reaction has no real-world consequences).

So why did you start a thread about it?

[The Fool]

Damn those academics, How can they justify no longer critisizing a government just because they don't exist anymore. Surely they could find something the taliban are still in charge of??? And imagine thier cheek in critisizing America for handing over the Afghan people to a new load of warlords. They are good warlords and much nicer than the warlords they are taking over from, everyone should get a turn at being the goodies.

[Zero]

Originally posted by The Fool
Damn those academics, How can they justify no longer critisizing a government just because they don't exist anymore. Surely they could find something the taliban are still in charge of??? And imagine thier cheek in critisizing America for handing over the Afghan people to a new load of warlords. They are good warlords and much nicer than the warlords they are taking over from, everyone should get a turn at being the goodies. Yeah, but these are pro-American warlords, so it is ok, so long as they are at least 1% nicer than the Taliban(this is a variation of "Skeptic"'s Law, isn't it?)

[PygmyPlaidGiraffe]

Originally posted by The Fool
Damn those academics, How can they justify no longer critisizing a government just because they don't exist anymore. Surely they could find something the taliban are still in charge of??? And imagine thier cheek in critisizing America for handing over the Afghan people to a new load of warlords. They are good warlords and much nicer than the warlords they are taking over from, everyone should get a turn at being the goodies.

Actually there are claims that the Taliban are
regaining some control (http://www.as-sahwah.com/viewnews.php?newsID=97) and
influence again, battling or cooperating with warlords for control of several areas of Afghanistan.

Remember when afghan girls/women were starting to go to schools again? Well now its back to living in terror for women and putting on face coverings as they live in fear as Taliban are present and enforcing with increased zealousness their archaic laws.

[a_unique_person]

Originally posted by The Fool
Damn those academics, How can they justify no longer critisizing a government just because they don't exist anymore. Surely they could find something the taliban are still in charge of??? And imagine thier cheek in critisizing America for handing over the Afghan people to a new load of warlords. They are good warlords and much nicer than the warlords they are taking over from, everyone should get a turn at being the goodies.

Have to agree with you here Fool. The Taliban ran a state that was not far removed from hell on earth, however, the current state is not much better. Before the US goes in and decides to improve things, it may be a good idea for it to demonstrate to us all how it will do so, and has done so. As far as I can see, the Afghanis have swapped on bunch of blood thirsty tryants for another.

And Skeptic, of course, has once more created a monumentally ridiculous strawman.