Don't be an idiot!

[deutsey]

I apologize if this is a dupe, but, if even if it is, it's good enough to post again! It's by Jim Hightower.

http://inthesetimes.com/comments.php?id=341_0_4_0_M

The original Greek word “idiotes” referred to people who might have had a high IQ, but were so self-involved that they focused exclusively on their own life and were both ignorant of and uncaring about public concerns and the common good.

Such people were the exact opposite of the Athenian democratic ideal of an active citizenry fully involved in the civic process, with everyone accepting their responsibilities to each other and all of humankind. This is the ideal that Jefferson and Madison built into our nation’s founding documents, the ideal that Lincoln embraced when he spoke of striving for a “government of the people, by the people, for the people,” the ideal that Justice Louis Brandeis was expressing when he wrote that “The most important office” in our land is “that of a private citizen.”


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[Brucey]

1. Early IQ tests categorized people as

idiots, imbeciles, or morons. The term "sophomore," means a moron with a little knowledge. I enjoyed the article.

[Mandate My Ass]

2. I'm going to hear him give a talk in about

half an hour. I've read excerpts from his most recent book Thieves in High Places: They've Stolen Our Country and It's Time To Take It Back and I believe the article quotes it here.

I've heard he's the real deal. I can't wait to hear what he has to say.

[deutsey]

3. How did the the talk go?

I'd love to see Hightower speak...

[Mandate My Ass]

4. Hightower is da bomb.

Hightower is a bright and entertaining speaker. He is self-deprecating and peppers his talk with these cute, folksy Texas sayings and euphemisms but don't let that fool you because he possesses an incredibly sharp intellect.

He touched on the war(of course) but also talked about his newest book and how Bush is being enabled by the "Wobblycrats" which is his name for Dems who not only don't stand up to Bush and roundly criticize his tax cuts to the rich, assault on civil liberties and the environment and cozy relationship with corporate thieves, but who enable him by rubber stamping his agenda.

He's says going the grassroots route is the only way we'll take back our country. I joined www.truemajority.com at his urging as did the hundred or so other attendees who were there.

The talk was free but I had such a good time and was so impressed with HIghtower I bought his book which he graciously autographed for me. (BTW, a little tidbit I learned waiting in line for him to autograph my book --- he writes his books longhand --- owch!)