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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JohnM who wrote (68820)	1/26/2003 12:29:46 AM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 281500

George Will has come up with a great "Diversity Test" No more points need to be added. The university should promote diversity of thought by asking all applicants the following 15 questions, awarding each applicant 10 points for each diversity-enhancing answer (150 points being a perfect Diversity Quotient): 1. The Supreme Court's principal function is (a) to wield the Constitution as a living document to right all wrongs or (b) to protect the Second Amendment. 2. Do you wish to enroll in UM's ROTC program? 3. U.S. policy toward Iraq should be: (a) give peace a chance or (b) pave it. 4. The UM Wolverines' athletic budget ($54 million) (a) is too small or (b) should be contributed to Greenpeace. 5. True or False: Ohio State is part of the axis of evil. 6. Were you home-schooled? 7. Do you watch Fox News Channel? 8. America's coolest anchorman is (a) Tom Brokaw, (b) Dan Rather, (c) Peter Jennings or (d) Brit Hume. 9. Do you read National Review while listening to Rush Limbaugh? 10. Can you tell the difference between the New York Times front page and its editorial page? 11. The most socially beneficial development in America in the last three decades was (a) Roe v. Wade, (b) the University of Michigan speech code or (c) ESPN. 12. America's worst failing is (a) racism, (b) sexism, (c) inequality, (d) imperialism or (e) respect for the United Nations. 13. Given a choice, would you own (a) an environmentally friendly hybrid car or (b) a Ford F-150 pickup? 14. Who is the more plausible president: (a) Martin Sheen of "The West Wing," (b) John Edwards of North Carolina or (c) any of the Dixie Chicks? 15. The Miller Lite ad in which the "tastes great" woman and the "less filling" woman duke it out in a bodice-ripping cat fight is (a) fascistic phallocentrism or (b) a hoot. Dear applicant, if your answers optimize your Diversity Quotient (b, yes, b, a, true, yes, yes, who are those first three guys?, yes, you're kidding -- right?, c, e, b, c, b), well, then: Welcome to Ann Arbor, you wonderful addition to Wolverine diversity.

To: JohnM who wrote (68820)	1/26/2003 8:10:55 AM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (5) \| Respond to of 281500

I am sure you will read and enjoy Friedman's column today on what we may face in "Nation Building" Iraq. If we do, we will spend a good bit of time here discussing it, I think. I am reading "Breaking the Phalanx," a book on our Military that came highly recommended. Two interesting points from it that I think we should keep in mind. 1) Only seven countries in the world today have enjoyed a from of representative democracy for more than 100 years and five of them speak English. They are: Great Briton, the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, and France. Democracy is still strongest in those insular regions of the world where security has been strongest. 2) Stable democracies do not suddenly appear. They develop. Creation of the social and institutional infrastructure requires time. Moreover, the pattern of development inevitable reflects the distribution of wealth and resources in the society. The wealthy and the educated have better organizational skills and, therefore, political groups tend to emerge first among a small circle of elites. Thus, democracy begins with the rule of a narrow, enlightened elite and a limited participatory franchise. Over time, if the franchise widens, and if constitutional rules limit political power, as in the United States after the American Revolution, democracy takes root and flourishes. Point two is difficult. We tend to want to go immediately to "one man, one vote." However we did write a constitution for Japan that was so damn good they still love it. But the point is, lets not be in too much of a rush to try to turn these Middle East countries into an American suburb.