Hm. Methinks the author (you?) missed the sarcasm in Brooks’ first statement. The “could happen to anybody” part is a pretty good clue.
Exactly. Sarcasm that is about as subtle as being run over by a freight train.
I am despondent over the future of conservatism, if so many conservatives lack the sensibility to look past Brooks literal statements even though he so obviously invites his audience to do so. It would appear that the deplorable state of public education affects the average conservative writer here, at least as much as it does the average liberal. Sad, really.