I've Been Labeled An Elitist Several Times...
... And if the definition of the term in this article by Sheila Suess Kennedy is definitive, it's a label I'll gladly wear! She states, regarding charges of Obama's so-called elitism by the Repubes: "It's simple, once we realize that this "elitism" doesn't have anything to do with wealth or even privilege. It is an attribute of intellect. The charge of elitism is a manifestation of America's longstanding and unfortunate subtext of anti-intellectualism, and its use during this campaign is both revealing and disturbing..."
She then poses and answers a very necessary question: "What does contempt for intellect tell us about the policy processes we might expect in a McCain Administration? First, it is a clear signal that policy decisions will be ideological, rather than pragmatic or evidence-based. People who dismiss scholarship, who sneer at research and place a high premium on speedy decision-making, are not likely to gather all the relevant data before making a decision. These are people who prefer certainty, who believe in "listening to my gut," rather than engaging in a thoughtful weighing of data or different perspectives. (We've had eight years of such decision-making, and we've seen how that works out.) Second, a President who dislikes "elitists"--defined as people who know what they are talking about--is unlikely to solicit advice from people who know what they are talking about. We can already see this in the staffing of the two campaigns: Obama has assembled advisors who are highly competent and accomplished; McCain's campaign is filled with "the usual subjects"--disproportionately lobbyists and political consultants. If we have ever needed an elitist--i.e., a really smart, thoughtful person--at the nation's helm, that time is now."
Check out the entire piece here: This Country Needs An Intellectual
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