Harvard's Beleagured Lawrence Summers
The Summers flap is interesting because of what it symbolizes - the tendency of those on the left (and right too, but I think more so on the left) to refuse to deal with inconvenient facts.
The progressive flirtation with communism was never impeded by the inconvenient fact that free enterprise creates the most wealth for the most people. Similarly with abortion. A baby can be inconvenient, so let's call it a fetus and kill it.
We all have a tendency to cater our world view to our convenience. And we're only on the hook for as much truth as we are given (Jeremiah sounds harsh in today's reading when he asks the Lord, "Let me witness the vengeance you take on them" but only to New Testament ears. It would be chronological bias to think him less saintly for it.)
Regardless, it seems a bit odd to blame the messenger for bad news. Studies show that white men about my age are most likely to be serial killers and yet I don't want to go out and censure anyone who repeats that.
I realize with Summers it's probably more about his personality and management style than perhaps his recent statement about women and science but still the reaction of Harvahd professors to his statement was astonishing.
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