Quote Originally Posted by Steve Blair View Post
As I mentioned earlier, one reason they CAN get away with this is the largely American reflex to immediately look at ourselves and see what we did wrong. We have been doing this for many years, and you can even see signs of it during the 1800s. It is, I believe, an admirable national trait, but it can (and has been) carried to extremes. One reason (in my opinion, your mileage may vary) that the PC movement has been so successful in the US is this very masochistic reflex on our part to assume blame and/or responsibility for things that do not go as planned.

In order to deal with the situation we are in, we MUST be more aggressive in the media, to include holding others accountable for their actions. Will this happen? Who knows.
You know, Steve, I was just reading your post when I got an email that really stuck me.

As you may know, the journal publishers Reed Elsevier are also involved in organising arms fairs.

Those of you who are concerned about the role of the arms trade in military escalation around the globe may like to consider a 'conscientious' decision not to publish in Elsevier's journals. If so I would advice informing the editors of the journal involved so as to bring pressure on Reed Elsevier to withdraw their support for the arms trade.

More information and petition here....

Sign this?
http://www.idiolect.org.uk/elsevier
The tendency towards "self"-flagellation and induced guilt isn't just an American cultural trait. I see it in Canada and the UK as well. I think it is especially strong in Academia; then again, hat's where I am based so it may just be that my perceptions are skewed to noticing it there.

Marc