Quote of the Day
Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations.I may not reach them, but
I can look up and see the beauty,
believe in them and
try to follow where they lead.
Louisa May Alcott
On the Myth of Government Spending "Austerity"
Jesuit University President Attacks One of His Own Faculty
As familiar readers know, I once seriouslyhad a vocation for the Roman Catholic priesthood, in particular, joining the Jesuits. Initially I considered majoring in secondary education, probably math and science, not unlike a current pope. I later became more interested in becoming a professor. But my interest was strong enough to be interviewed by a Jesuit recruiter. I don't remember anything of consequence coming from that, no follow-up from either side. (As a 16-year-old college freshman, I didn't have much dating experience, and I was attending a college two-thirds coed. I had my first steady girlfriend (she was a gorgeous 4-years "older woman" from New York). Suddenly I had concerns about the priestly vow of chastity...)
To me, the Jesuits had the greatest reputation for intellectual rigor. Part of my initial warm recepition to the election of Pope Francis is the fact he is the first Jesuit pope. I assumed he would follow in the footsteps of Benedict, arguably one of the most accomplished theologians ever elected pope. His exhortation bitterly disappointed me; I've published a few commentaries about it. Suffice it to say he made a disingenuous strawman of free market principles which heavily borrows from left-wing rhetoric and little of substance.
Fr. Wildes, President of Loyola in New Orleans, decided to bash Walter Block, a libertarian Austrian School economist, one of his own, highly-accomplished faculty members holding an endowed chair, in the student newspaper. (You can read Wildes' letter and an unsympathetic critique here.) Let me set the context here: the Gray Lady recently published a polemical piece on Rand Paul. In context, Mises, along with Hayek, are considered the towering leads of the Austrian School. The Mises Institute is a think tank featuring a number of prominent Austrian School scholars, including Block and Woods. Ron Paul is probably the most prominent public proponent of the school. The author of the critical piece is trying to tie Rand Paul to the Mises Institute and make the Institute out to look like a bunch of wackos. Among other things, he features some brief soundbites by Block out of context. (I occasionally cite work from the Mises Institute and have been influenced on relevant concepts like the business cycle and malinvestment but do not consider myself necessarily Austrian School.)
Wildes, not unlike the Pope in his recent exhortation, in a condescending tone and without a scintilla of intellectual integrity in citing, not even an interview, but self-serving soundbites chosen by a hostile source, wrote a grossly unfair piece, which in my opinion violates professional ethics. Among other things, Wildes knowingly parodies the concept of voluntary association. No one would question my right to invite Tom Woods to dine in my home, but not Wildes. That concept doesn't change if instead of being my home it was my restaurant. If I decide that men must wear coat and tie, that's my prerogative. If I don't want to cater to a Planned Parenthood event or a "gay wedding", that's my choice. It may be bad business to turn away paying customers, but people have the liberty to make their own mistakes. I could go on on other points, maybe a future one-off, but Wildes' arrogance and shallow analysis speak for themselves; he has embarrassed the Jesuits and his own university, and he owes Block a public apology.
Tom Woods published an open letter to Wildes which I highly recommend.
Epic rant. During my own all too brief academic career, I never met a university administrator of integrity and character. They worship the god of political correctness. I have to say, though, however compelling a case you present, I've never heard an administrator concede to making a mistake. If you get a response, it will probably be an ad hominem attack.
Political Humor
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| Via Patriot Post |
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| Courtesy of Henry Payne and Townhall |
Neil Diamond, "If You Know What I Mean"
