Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Asking College to Cancel Civil War Soldiers

A Princeton University alumnus is unhappy that another alumnus participated in a pro-Trump demonstration, and wants to cancel him:
Although I do not wish that the University rush to judgement about his criminal charges, I also do not wish to see the University condone Mr. Giberson’s actions by granting him a Princeton degree. Does one want Mr. Giberson to be able to crow about being a Princeton graduate? I think not.
That is, take his degree away. Not because he did anything criminal, but because he was on the wrong side of a hot political issue.

If Princeton did this, whom else would they cancel? Civil War soldiers? Yes, that is exactly what this clown wants to do.

This news story also raises an issue about what Princeton should do about other students who have participated in past armed insurrections against the U.S. government, i.e., those alumni who served in the Confederate insurrection in the Civil War. Is it time to look at such individuals and to decide what Princeton should do about their degrees?
This sounds like a joke, but I don't think it is. I see the letter printed in my alumni magazine.

4 comments:

CFT said...

The left hates history (context), they always have. This is because history is replete with their repeated failures they wish to be swept under the rug and out of site of the next new crop of young people who need to be indoctrinated in the latest faddish idea that is actually an older idea that already hasn't worked, repetitively. The mindset is basically that what is new is always improved and much better because...new stuff is progressive and shiny, and old stuff is lame and sucks and what did those old farts know anyway?, they're old for Christ's sake, they must have done something wrong to get all wrinkly and stop being cool. Best to start over with a blank slate because THIS time will be different.

The right looks back to history (context) with reverence, they always have. This is because everything now came from something else before, usually at considerable cost of wealth and lives and often high risk. By knowing what has been done and tried by previous generations, one can conserve that which has succeeded and steer clear of ideas and policies which do not produce prosperity, but despair. The mindset is basically that change needs to be considered carefully in context of what has been, new things are often just repackaged old things with the consequences removed, leading to disaster, as young people aren't actually 'smarter', they just think they are, it's a very common thing called being young and stupid (naive) and older people have already learned this lesson since they were once those children themselves and know that being young is VERY temporary, it isn't a lifestyle.

Children do need to explore, and experiment, but not without the guidance of the past (context). This game of domesticating the barbarians coming up from below is called civilization and it is very delicate and easy to lose, history teaches us this.


“A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.”
Robert Heinlein

MikeAdamson said...

We don't celebrate treason in Canada...probably Trudeau's fault.

CFT said...

@MikeAdamson,
Context. Dictionary. You really need both.

In America, Protesting isn't treason, both parties have engaged in it depending on who is in power. We have a long history of saying no to authority.

MikeAdamson said...

I agree that protesting isn't treason, but I believe that fighting for the Confederacy was.