June 25, 2002

Todd Gitlin's article denounces the

Todd Gitlin's article denounces the unthinking, anti-semitic Left that justifies lies and cariacture to defend the Palestinians. About student movements, he writes,

A student movement is not just a student movement. It's a student movement. Students, whether they are progressive or not, have the responsibility of knowing things, of thinking and discerning, of studying. A student movement should maintain the highest of standards, not ape the formulas of its elders or outdo them in virulence.

While it's great a man of the Left such as Gitlin strongly criticizes anti-semetic Leftist, he's awfully idealistic of "student movements." From my experience, Left wing student movements (who ever hears of Right wing movements?) are full of some of the most unthinking people I've ever encountered. They only speak platitiudes that make Jesse Jackson's bad rhymes seem scholarly. When confronted with opposing facts for a different analysis, these students counter with ad hominem attacks and an emphasis on emotion over reason.

Pre-9.11, the biggest issue for student movements was globalization. Along with peaceful teach-ins and rallys, many engaged in violent riots in Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Genoa. Their excuse for destroying property was that it wasn't a crime because it was only things, not people. Other student movements oppose geneticlly modified food and took part in raids that destroyed test fields. Little thinking, descerning, or studying there.

"The Rough Beast Returns" [via Craig Schamp]

[UPDATE: Some of those thinking, descerning, and studying students would "rather go naked than wear GAP" in Calgary. In Ottawa, police are preparing for violence from anti-trade protesters. Then there are the goofs knitting their way to revolution.

"Local Impacts of G8 Agenda Exposed"

"Canadian Authorities Prepare for Worst on Eve of G-8 Summit"]