Sowell: The War Against Achievement

Creators Syndicate ^ | November 19, 2013 | Thomas Sowell

[jazusamo]

A friend recently sent me a link to an inspiring video about an upbeat young black man who was born without arms. It showed him going to work

[jazusamo]

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Thomas Sowell

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[Slyfox]

His story recalls the story of Helen Keller, who went to an elite college and on to a career, despite having been born both deaf and blind.

Yikes, Mr Sowell. You should have wikied that one. Hellen Keller was two years old when she suffered a fever that left her blind and deaf.

[Arm_Bears]

But our culture has changed so much over the years that the young man with no arms is unlikely to get comparable publicity.

One thing this young man can count on the government confiscating more and more of his earnings in the name of "fairness."

[Still Thinking]

Yeah, it obviously wouldn’t be fair to make all those people with all their limbs compete with this guy who’s obviously the beneficiary of some kind of historical privilege (and gets his ass out of bed every morning). He didn’t make that.

[DeltaZulu]

Our "compassionate" statists would probably have wanted to take this young man without arms, early on, and put him in some government institution.

More realistically, our "compassionate" statists would have had him aborted.

[dsc]

“Yikes, Mr Sowell. You should have wikied that one.”

Bonus dormitat Homerus.

[jazusamo]

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[Uncle Miltie]

My far more capable ex-wife sits on her butt and collects from me. She’s “disabled” doncha know.

[teeman8r]

using the liberals definition of an unwanted fetus... helen keller fits within the time frame of being “born” that way.

yes he should have wikied it, a small but not minor point in her ability to connect her word for water with the spelling...

unlocking the key to her success.

t

[ExNewsExSpook]

Here’s a link to the video Dr. Sowell was referring to; the young man’s name is Richie Parker, and he is part of the engineer/design team at Hendrick Racing. He also restores classic cars in his spare time.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130719/nascar01/130719804

[hal ogen]

Achievement is for insensitive elitists. Where’s my EBT card, free nobamaphone, unemployment benefits, section 8 housing chit, earned income credit, free nobamacare and disability check?

[jazusamo]

Wow! Richie Parker is an amazing guy as are his parents. God bless them all.

Many thanks for the link.

[Flash Bazbeaux]

I thought you were going to say “Yikes, Mr. Sowell. All that edumacation done turned her into a Socialist.”

You are, of course, correct.

[JoeFromSidney]

My last assignment before I retired from the Air Force was as commander of an engineering unit. About a third of my command was Black engineers and technicians. One of these Black engineers had entered the Air Force as an enlisted man and gone to electronics school. He had been assigned to the unit I later commanded, and when his enlistment was up, he stayed on in Civil Service. Prior to the time I took over, he had gone through engineering school nights and weekends, and completed a Bachelors degree. At the time I took over, he was completing a Masters degree, still going nights and weekends. No, he wasn't disabled in any way, but I admired his perseverance and determination. He was a real asset to my outfit. Somehow, "keeping it real" extends only to Black thugs and other criminals, not to men like him. NAACP and other Black outfits ought to be celebrating people like him, not like the kinds of people they do celebrate.

[jazusamo]

NAACP and other Black outfits ought to be celebrating people like him, not like the kinds of people they do celebrate.

You're absolutely right and thanks for relating that story, he knew what he wanted and worked hard to get it.

[Jim Scott]

Another pungent observation from Dr. Sowell. His noting that personal achievement and resulting economic success based on hard work is now characterized as 'privilege' by the leftmedia is dead on. That most politicians live like royalty off of the taxpayer's sweat is ignored. Obviously, by leftist standards, the political 'elite' deserve theirs but those who actually contribute to society instead of leeching off it are scorned as 'privileged'.

How sad that the political left is attempting to restore the same sort of aristocracy that Americans rebelled against and emerged victorious, enabling them to form the United States of America. As Mark Twain once wrote: "History doesn't repeat but it does rhyme".

[Slyfox]

Dormitat Homerus retro ad vos

[Billthedrill]

Sowell BTT. Good as always.

[driftless2]

Et cum spiritu tuo