Many home educators look upon the opportunity of university education as some sort of salvation, what with the student presence being almost entirely voluntary, the subject under study being of primary interest to the student, a sizeable amount of study being self-directed, and there being evidence of greater respect between tutors and students than is generally the case in schools.
However, we have to stop and wonder when we read reports of proceedings such as these, from a debate at the University Philosophical Society of Trinity College, Dublin where the resolution “This house believes that George W. Bush is a danger to world stability” was recently debated.
From the description by Clifford D. May of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies:
"...those tasked with defending the resolution were disinclined even to discuss what they clearly considered gross understatement. Instead, Patrick Cockburn, a British journalist, began by angrily accusing the United States of embarking upon an “old-fashioned imperial war' in Iraq and beyond".
And further:
"As for terrorism, that he dismissed as “something people believe in like they believe in witchcraft. What does it mean?” Though he was unsure of terrorism's definition, he harbored no doubts about who was responsible for it. President Bush, he said, “is not fighting terrorism, he is provoking it. That is the truth of the matter.”"
"Richard Downes, an Irish journalist, recited Humpty Dumpty. His point was that Iraq had been broken by Bush, whom he called a “maniacal egg killer.” This evoked gales of laughter."
The standard of debate in defense of the resolution never rose much above this and at times sank even further. Hmmm.
HT: David Durant
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