Comments on: Bush Awards Historian Who Downplayed Abu Ghraib, Said We Need To Bomb ‘Paper Tiger’ Iran

By: Evergreen2U

Evergreen2U — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 02:12:27 +0000

He obviously doesn’t even know what a paper tiger is…so much for the scholar.

By: traillspencelow

traillspencelow — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 01:11:11 +0000

I would like to know what all of you think a “scholar” is? Generally speaking, I would think we could agree that it is an expert in a scholarly topic. “Classics” is one such topic. VDH is a “Classical scholar.” It is no more narrow than being a historian or professor of English Literature or Chemistry professor. Seeing that VDH has made significant contributions to the field of Classics, which, again, is numbered among the “humanities,” this award seems appropriate.
And “zuch,” claiming something is “balderdash” does not make you correct. Moreover, your opinion coupled with other like minded posts in the thread are not evidence, as such. Surely VDH’s politics have made him unpopular among many scholars in his field. That said, most rational people in the field will agree that his essays and works have been valuable contributions that they themselves have used and recommended to students or used in courses. Again, he is the go to source for Greek military tactics, including the lifestyle, equipping and maintenance of hoplites and hoplite armies. In addition to his scholarship he has been recognized by the APA (American Philological Association–the prof. org. of Classicists) for his excellence, in addition to be a National Humanities Fellow. These are not political organizations. Lastly, his co-authored, “Who Killed Homer?” generated a lot of discussion and reform within the field of Classics for a number of years. In short, he is a “heavy” in the field of Classics.
Again, his politics are ugly and stupid. Nevertheless, it does not invalidate his importance or his contributions to the field of Classics.

By: calscientist

calscientist — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:40:53 +0000

Please have a look at this thread on VDH from earlier in the year at Matt Yglesias’ blog. You will see some support for his expertise on Greek classica history, but little else. The cited Hoplites text above is a compilation which he edited and contributed three chapters to (cf trailspencelow). As far as it being a standard text, an effort to locate this on google pulled up quickly at least only usage at Texas Christian and Dartmouth (there could be more but I did not quickly find them) (search=hoplites + Hanson + syllabus). A similar search on “The other greeks” yielded a top hit at Cardiff U in the UK.

Clearly Hanson has some skill as a classics scholar in a very narrow academic niche-but his fame and honoring by Bush are very much in the spirit of Stalinist ass kissing as I describe above.

By: zuch

zuch — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 18:31:23 +0000

#51 trailspencelow:

VDH surely has some laughable political positions, but his scholarship is peerless and contributions invaluable.

Balderdash. Has he said anything that others haven’t said? Has he provided any stellar insights (outside of the one I noted in my link above, talking about “scholarship”) through his magnificent intelligence that we just can’t do without? See #49 too.

That he’s a dishonest (and bloodthirsty) berk is enough reason to skip over him….

Cheers,

By: traillspencelow

traillspencelow — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:49:53 +0000

Despite VDH’s ridiculous and and dangerous politics and despite GWB likely awarded it to him for precisely those reasons, it is an appropriate and well-deserved award for an excellent scholar who has, indeed, “broadened our view of the humanities.”
VDH is an excellent scholar who has written several superb volumes on war and farming in antiquity. His “The Other Greeks” and works on Greek warfare and the hoplite are standard texts, from which any serious scholar begins when working on either issue. Moreover, his attention to and promotion of the importance of various agrarian ideas and ideals as played out in Ancient Greek culture and our own was welcome and vital to not only a fuller understanding of the Greeks, but more broadly all mankind’s indebtedness to the earth.
Our politics need to be more discerning and critical: just because someone is a conservative and on the wrong side of the fence on all sorts of issues does not invalidate his every effort or contribution to other fields. We should appreciate the complexity of the individual on a case by case basis. VDH surely has some laughable political positions, but his scholarship is peerless and contributions invaluable.

By: Keith

Keith — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 01:50:01 +0000

Correction: That should be “lowest UNemployment”.

By: Keith

Keith — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 01:43:39 +0000

Hanson is a joke in the intellectual community. He is called “The War Lord” because he explains all of history in terms of the Pelopennesian wars.

Remember, he is paid by the Hoover Institute which is paid by Exxon, Arco, Boeing-McDonnell, Rockwell, the auto industry, Koch Industries, and the Mellon-Scaife family.

He says the Bush tax cuts brought increased revenues and the exploding deficits are due to “overly liberal federal spending in Bush’s first term.” Of course, the evidence shows that these two are lies. It is not debatable. It is not a matter of opinion.

He says that GWBush has given us the lowest employment in decades. Clinton inherited 7.3% unemployment rate from GHW Bush. GW Bush inherited 3.9% unemployment from Clinton. Two and a half years later, it was 6.3%. Clinton created 22 million jobs. GW Bush created 0 his first term. Job rate always improves switching from Republicans to Dems and always worsens from Dems to Republicans.

This is Orwellian.

By: The Republic of Stupidity

The Republic of Stupidity — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 23:48:47 +0000

But did they have cookies at the ceremony? And vanilla ice cream?

By: Namtillaku

Namtillaku — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 23:46:26 +0000

I’m really not seeing a lot of differences between those currently in power here, with the good ‘ole U.S.S.R. I guess one glaring difference is that they really can’t just throw dissenters in jail. Here, they just buy them out.

By: calscientist

calscientist — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 23:35:47 +0000

This is proof that Bushism = stalinism. Hansen is a hack who spouts some classical history from the Greek era to sound like he knows something and then goes on to justify the garbage that BushCo carries out. He would have, I am quite certain, ZERO chance at being a successful academic in a viable research university. But like Lysenko to Stalin, he has the ruler’s ear by writing what the ruler wants to hear.

I wish we were impeaching the asses of Cheney and Bush or that the election were tomorrow. We need these guys gone, gone, gone.

By: gummitch

gummitch — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 23:22:51 +0000

This guy writes in my newspaper now and then. He is a smug jerk.
The last time I read his column, he angered me to the point of sending him a letter.

Comment by Marie â€” November 15, 2007 @ 5:59 pm

Yes, the Oregonian unfortunately prints his opinion columns from time to time. The Far Right worships the guy and credits him with far more scholarship than he deserves.

By: oldtree

oldtree — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 23:01:33 +0000

can anyone imagine the insult of being honored by a criminal?

By: Marie

Marie — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:59:40 +0000

This guy writes in my newspaper now and then. He is a smug jerk.
The last time I read his column, he angered me to the point of sending him a letter.

By: slappy magoo

slappy magoo — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:43:10 +0000

I can’t believe that a: I’m the first person to notice this quote:

“In his presentation of the award, Bush complimented Hanson on his â€œscholarshipâ€ and â€œwisdomâ€:

Victor Davis Hanson for his scholarship on civilizations past and present. He has cultivated the fields of history and brought forth an abundant harvest of wisdom for our times.”

…aaaand b: I’m the first person to say

“Insert totally-appropriate-in-context fertilizer joke here.”

By: gummitch

gummitch — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:37:16 +0000

Eric Alterman hosted a series of four articles by Lt. Col. Bob Bateman, who has taught at West Point, that thoroughly eviscerates VDH’s “scholarship”. VDH, of course, retorts in rage (repeatedly dragging Soros’ name into the mess).

The series starts here and is well-worth reading.

By: jb

jb — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:26:12 +0000

Bush gives medals to those that give him blow jobs. Hoover probably has a dress with a stain.

By: Juan C.

Juan C. — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:20:05 +0000

Jay, throw us some links…

By: Jay Randal

Jay Randal — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:11:12 +0000

Juan did you see the recent pics of Bush at a hospital for Iraq war soldiers? Bush basically makes jokes in front of burn victims, but gets horny over a slightly wounded soldier who is basically nude. Bush puts a coat over his shoulder, but is staring down at his crotch.

By: Xisithrus

Xisithrus — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:10:37 +0000

Hoover, wasn’t that the guy who wore dresses…oh never mind I answered my own question.

By: mudsharks buddy

mudsharks buddy — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:09:31 +0000

http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/moveon This is off topic.But please take the time to read it.This is for Calif residents.This is to censure DiFi….Thank You