THE OBENSON REPORT

Covering Cinema From All Across The African Diaspora

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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