The Protocols of the Elders of Barnum

Something is rotten in the People's Republic of Berkeley. I used to have a lot of respect for the University therein - it was a hotbed of off-the-wall ideas, some quite dotty, some incredibly imaginative, some right, most gloriously wrong. I've actually collaborated in a small way with some of their researchers in the past - it's often been cutting-edge, or even beyond. But just like someone who OD's on "consciousness-expanding" chemicals and ends up murderously Psychotic, they're on the road that leads to irrational mysticism, denial of reality, the Year Zero and Auschwitz.

Exhibit A : From Ken Lane's Weird Files :

The wacky politicians of Berkeley, Calif. -- infamous for telling citizens what they can or cannot eat, drink and think -- have endorsed the bizarre Space Preservation Act. The maniacal legislation, introduced in the House of Representatives by crackpot Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), would forbid "mood management, or mind control of such persons or populations." Also on the no-no list are "exotic weapons systems" such as "chemtrails," the water-vapor exhaust of jet aircraft that conspiracy theorists believe to be an evil plot of some kind.

But that's just the Politicians pandering to the ignorant, isn't it? I mean, no-one actually believes that the "WASTE" on rubbish bins means "We Await Silent Tristero's Empire" do they? Well, maybe...

Exhibit B, : An academic paper, based upon some work that was totally debunked ages ago. From a Berkeley Law Student's blog about it :

The researchers conceded cases of left-wing ideologues, such as Stalin, Khrushchev or Castro, who, once in power, steadfastly resisted change, allegedly in the name of egalitarianism.

Yet, they noted that some of these figures might be considered politically conservative in the context of the systems that they defended. The researchers noted that Stalin, for example, was concerned about defending and preserving the existing Soviet system.
...
In many cases, including mass politics, 'liberal' traits may be liabilities, and being intolerant of ambiguity, high on the need for closure, or low in cognitive complexity might be associated with such generally valued characteristics as personal commitment and unwavering loyalty," the researchers wrote.
...
This intolerance of ambiguity can lead people to cling to the familiar, to arrive at premature conclusions, and to impose simplistic cliches and stereotypes, the researchers advised.

As opposed to such Progressive slogans as "It's all about Oil", "Bush stole the election", "Cowboy Texans", "Zionazis" etc.
<sarcasm>Nope, no simplifications, premature conclusions or stereotypes there.</sarcasm>. Think the post is distorted? No, the University of Berkeley openly boasts about this <sarcasm>fine Academic achievement.</sarcasm> Reagan = Hitler, Stalin and Castro, all conservatives.

Exhibit C1 : From the Wall Street Journal's OpinionJournal :

Berkeley students this week even demanded that the school chancellor stop investing university resources in companies like General Electric that do business with Israel a la the 1986 apartheid divestment.

Nothing wrong with that, that's just the expression of a particular political opinion, not irrational Anti-Semetism, isn't it? Well....

Exhibit C2 : From Little Green Footballs :

Dean of Letters and Sciences
University of California at Berkeley
Campus
Dear Sir,
I am writing to call your attention to an incident that occurred August 6, 2003 during the Iraqi Arabic (Arabic15) class, in which I am currently enrolled. The instructer, Abbas Kadhim, announced before the entire class during a discussion on Zionism that he believes that the infamous text "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" is not an anti-Semitic forgery but was in fact written by Jews.
"The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" was a forged text supposedly written by Jews. In it, the Jews describe a plan of achieving world domination. All reputable historians consider the document to be a forgery perpetrated by the Tsar's secret police.
I asked Mr. Kadhim if he was being serious about his claim. He assured me that he was one hundred percent certain in his belief that Jews were behind the "Protocols." By making such a statement, Mr. Kadhim spreads potentially dangerous anti-Semitic propaganda.
I say "propaganda" because for over a century the forgery was used to justify and encourage anti-Semitism to the point of killing Jews: The "Protocols" led to violent pogroms in Tsarist Russia, and Hitler incorporated much of the "Protocols" in his Mein Kampf to prepare the German public psychologically for the Final Solution.
I am disgusted that UC Berkeley is giving a forum to an ignorant, anti-Semitic, and prejudiced individual such as Mr. Khadhim to voice his views. I request that the University of California investigate the matter forthwith and dismiss Mr. Kadhim from its staff.
Sincerely,
Susanna Klein

This is not a case where a Law Professor expresses an opinion in support of "Creation Science", nor a History Professor professing that the World is Flat. It's more similar to a Chemistry Professor teaching about Phlogiston, or a Professor of Neuroanatomy teaching about "Virtuous Humours" and against the Germ "Theory" of Disease.

With that in mind, don your Tinfoil helmets as I present selections from "The Protocols of the Elders of Barnum", possibly the next Political Science textbook at Berkeley, detailing the Proven facts about the Circus Clowns' Evil Domination of World Affairs.

PROTOCOL No. 1

1. ....Putting aside fine phrases we shall speak of the significance of each thought: by comparisons and deductions we shall throw light upon surrounding facts.
2. What I am about to set forth, then, is our system from the two points of view, that of ourselves and that of the GILLYS [i.e., non- Joeys].
...
8. Whether a State exhausts itself in its own convulsions, whether its internal discord brings it under the power of external foes - in any case it can be accounted irretrievable lost: IT IS IN OUR POWER. The despotism of the CIRCUS, which is entirely in our hands, reaches out to it a straw that the State, willy-nilly, must take hold of: if not - it goes to the bottom.
...
WE SHALL END LIBERTY

25. Far back in ancient times we were the first to cry among the masses of the people the words "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity," words many times repeated since these days by stupid poll- parrots who, from all sides around, flew down upon these baits and with them carried away the well-being of the world, true freedom of the individual, formerly so well guarded against the pressure of the mob. The would-be wise men of the GILLYS, the intellectuals, could not make anything out of the uttered words in their abstractedness; did not see that in nature there is no equality, cannot be freedom: that Nature herself has established inequality of minds, of characters, and capacities, just as immutably as she has established subordination to her laws: never stopped to think that the mob is a blind thing, that upstarts elected from among it to bear rule are, in regard to the political, the same blind men as the mob itself, that the adept, though he be a fool, can yet rule, whereas the non-adept, even if he were a genius, understands nothing in the political - to all those things the GILLYS paid no regard; yet all the time it was based upon these things that dynastic rule rested: the father passed on to the son a knowledge of the course of political affairs in such wise that none should know it but members of the dynasty and none could betray it to the governed. As time went on, the meaning of the dynastic transference of the true position of affairs in the political was lost, and this aided the success of our cause.
...
PROTOCOL 2
...
DESTRUCTIVE EDUCATION

3. Do not suppose for a moment that these statements are empty words: think carefully of the successes we arranged for Darwinism, Marxism, Nietzsche-ism. To us Joeys, at any rate, it should be plain to see what a disintegrating importance these directives have had upon the minds of the GILLYS.

I'll end it there - <humour>I fear that one night there will be a knock at my door, and suddenly a custard-pie will come out of the night, as has frequently happened to those who exposed the secrets of the Circus Clowns.</humour>.

The "Protocols of the Elders of Barnum" have exactly the same degree of credibility as the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion". If this is what's being taught by people who the students have every right to expect know something about what they're saying, then Berkeley, as an Academic (as opposed to Psychiatric) Institution is dead. And that would be a tragedy, as it was the free-play of rational discourse that made it so valuable in the past.

Acknowledgements

Circus Lingo courtesy of TooClowns . Original Idea inspired by an old, sad joke.