[John Kilduff]

[ QUOTE ]
But, apparently, what you you really have a problem with is that I used a bit of colorful prose and said Sowell is "lusting" for a military coup. I think it's a relatively appropriate characterization, but I can tone it down a bit. Let's instead say that "Sowell wants a military coup to cleanse perceived moral depravity".

[/ QUOTE ]

"When I see the worsening degeneracy in our politicians, our media, our educators, and our intelligentsia, I can’t help wondering if the day may yet come when the only thing that can save this country is a military coup." - Thomas Sowell

It reads to me as though Sowell might wish for such an event, but it isn't clear that he wishes for it, or that he wishes for it at this point in time. To me it seems mostly as though he is trying to allow for the possibility that if things keep on their present course, a military coup might be the only thing that can "save" this country. While I do disagree with him, I think that is what he is trying to say.

So, I don't think it can firmly be concluded (based upon that quote) that he actually "wants" such a thing, although he might.

I do find his quote perplexing in other ways, such as how would a military coup actually "save" this country from degeneracy? Does Sowell presume the military to be far less compromised by degeneracy, and does he suppose that the great powers a successful military coup would bring to the top brass, would not potentiate corruption?

I also find it rather disturbing that Sowell seems to be suggesting that a military coup might actually be a viable solution to the problem (since I don't see how it could be a viable or acceptable solution). Well, at least he's not a legislator or top general [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

It just occurred to me that perhaps Sowell is not in favor of a military coup at all, either now or in the future, but is instead using hyperbole to illustrate the depths of degeneracy towards which this country's most influential people have slid and are sliding yet still. If so, he should realize that hyperbole is sometimes taken literally (did Sheryl Crowe actually mean that literally about one square? I'm still wondering).