Burning Summers at the stake

Many pixels spilled over at The Corner in regard to the ongoing show-trial of Harvard President Lawrence Summers.

Jonah Goldberg in particular can't help but shake his head in amazement at the furor over what are in fact rather innocuous remarks.

The Posse will not venture to compare the differing definitions of "free speech" as they are applied to Summers vs Ward Churchill, but rather we will venture to explain to Jonah why it is that Summers is singled out for particular ire.

His offense, we believe, is almost beside the point.

The reason why protests, letters of reprimand and such are called for is that the left is as angry as it has ever been and someone has to catch the brunt of it.

This redirection is common, indeed Goldberg has referenced something similar in his jokes about Paul Krugman sending his cat into orbit whenever there is good economic news.

The left cannot unseat Bush; it cannot even perceptibly slow his policy agenda.

The one place where it can rule is on the college campuses.

Summers' punishment is a naked display of anger and a show of force.  As liberal media titans continue to topple, the left is determined to do its will within the ivy-covered walls of its own strongholds.

There is a deep-seated need for many people to feel that they are "doing something."  Indeed, this is a prime motivation for the left.

At the same time, the left is so riddled with cowardice and so addicted to comfort, that real sacrifice is out of the question.

This is why they make such a big deal out of dissent, often comparing carrying a sign from 1 to 3 near a boulevard with the rigors of overseas military service - as if an afternoon stroll followed by a coffee house discussion is in any way comparable to dodging bullets and engaging terrorists.

Yet this image persists, indeed it is constantly advanced.

That is why the left never ceases its paeans to the glory of "dissent" and how brave it is to make dirty jokes about their political enemies.

The left has a need to show it is not impotent - not within the confines of its ivory-towered fortresses.

Students are carrying signs and professors are writing their screeds not because they have even read what Summers said, but because the mob howls for blood and his is as good as any.

That Summers is innocent of the charges is irrelevant.  The left has long shown a studied indifference to innocence where the principle of demonstrating their power is at stake.

As Peoples' Commander Strelnikov explains to Doctor Zhivago after being told his men burned the wrong village:

"What difference does it make?  A village betrays us, a village is burned."

Summers's innocence or guilt is irrelevant.  Feminist orthodoxy is questioned, a university president is destroyed.  Whether the university president actually did what was he was accused of doesn't matter in the least.

UPDATE:  Welcome Corner readers!

Comments

[AH]

A whole different Burning Man Festival, somewhat ahead of schedule. Some demographic overlap.

[Dr. Sanity]

Psychologically, you are right on target! This is called "displacement" and the Left has come to discover that Bush is relatively immune to their vitriol. I think you have hit on an important insight: that the Univeristy campuses across the country are the only places where their power and efficacy is still intact--so they make their show of strength there. Brilliant!

[lmg]

The behavior of the Left today reminds me of descriptions of the Inquisition. Merely making a comment that could possibly be interpreted as questioning Leftist dogma starts an "investigation" into the views you may hold. That what you said is factually, provably true is no defense. Your views can get you burned at the stake - so far only figuratively, not literally, at least until the Left returns to power. For all the Left's talk of being morally "progressive", their behavior and methods would be right at home in the imperial Church of 1,000 years ago.

[Spelling Nazi]

You spelled Jonah's name wrong. It's Goldberg, not Goldberd.

[Posse Incitatus]

Everyone's a critic.

[Bill Dillinger]

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Really, there's little else to say.

[AllenS]

You've got it figured out. They'll go after each other soon enough. Howard Dean will be a scream.