PROFESSORIAL BULLIES | 2009-08-05
I was in the University of South Carolina Student Senate, the student council, in 1962 when Saint John the Kennedy sent the Army in to enforce integration at the University of Mississippi. I wanted to introduce a resolution giving our backing to Mississippi, but for once I couldn't decide, aka, I didn't have the guts.
So we are not all as brave as the commenters seem to think we are. Some of us wouldn't find it easy to be ALONE in class against the professor and her thugs.
It takes infinitely more moral courage to fight it out with a professor for our cause than it does for a hundred thousand men to hit the beach at Normandy WITH EACH OTHER.
Contrary to every Wordist dogma, we are a hardwired social animal. You can't just make us over by writing a book.
As a former prof, let me assure you that there is nothing easier than being a bully from the front of the class. No student EVER wins a debate with a prof. A few of you have put the Mantra in newsgroups and you see how easy it is to cut it or change the subject or just declare the subject is closed.
It takes guts to face a roomful of people. It takes super guts to face a ROOMFUL of hostile people.