[analphilosopher] Keith Burgess-Jackson: An Analogy (a new post at AnalPhilosopher)

[analphilosopher at lists.powerblogs.com]

Posted by Keith Burgess-Jackson:
An Analogy
http://www.analphilosopher.com/posts/1119493327.shtml


   If you=E2re a sports fan, you know that the athletic teams at The
   University of Texas at Austin are known as the Longhorns. (The teams
   at my school, The University of Texas at Arlington, are known as the
   Mavericks. Our student newspaper is The Shorthorn.) Longhorns have a
   distinctive hand sign. Grasp your two middle fingers with your thumb.
   Hold up your hand. Longhorns, right? You see this sign everywhere at
   Longhorns games. I=E2ve even seen President Bush give the sign, which is
   known as =E2Hook =E2em Horns.=E2

   This evening, Texas, a large state university, played Baylor, a much
   smaller private university, in the College World Series. During the
   game, the camera panned the stands. I saw Baylor fans giving the Hook
   =E2em Horns sign downward. Apparently, this is a way of expressing
   opposition to the Longhorns. Think about it. The Baylor fans could
   have come up with a hand sign of their own. (Perhaps they have one,
   but I didn=E2t see it.) Instead, they mock the Texas sign. The very act
   of mocking Texas acknowledges Texas=E2s superiority. How humiliating!

   It occurred to me=E2I=E2m a philosopher, okay?=E2that this is precisely =
what
   liberals are doing. President Bush is taking the initiative in many
   areas, from war in Iraq to homeland security to Social Security reform
   to education reform. Instead of developing and defending their own
   views, liberals (leftists) attack President Bush, either personally or
   politically. They=E2re in opposition mode. They have no agenda of their
   own. All they want to do is demean, attack, ridicule, and obstruct.
   Get your own sign, liberals. Stop reacting and start acting. Be
   positive instead of negative. Stand for something instead of against
   President Bush. The American people don=E2t like losers, whiners, and
   obstructionists; they want someone, such as President Bush, who stands
   for something, who has an agenda, and who is respectful of those who
   disagree.