Blogoland

Kevin Drum links to this article from David Gelernter, freshly minted columnist for the LA Times. I was barely aware of him, but do recall reading this item he wrote, about Gen. Boykin, of "my God is better than your God" fame. At the time, I was somewhat astonished by this column's foolishness:

Some journalists are all in favor of General Boykin's right to say and believe what he chooses--so long as Secretary Rumsfeld fires him. They are working under the theory that it is unacceptable for a DoD official to say that Christianity is true and that other religions are, therefore, false...And Boykin has been accused of casting aspersions on Islam--Heaven forbid! (What prigs we should all feel, after Islam has been so sweet to us.)

Sent this letter to Gelernter:

Dear Professor,

Just read your piece on Gen. Boykin in the Weekly Standard.

How to put this? I respect your candor, but you are a fool on matters of public policy and international diplomacy.

Let's put it this way -- Boykin is a representative of this government and administration. Thus, his words speak for the administration. Would you feel comfortable if the words of Gen. Boykin were actually the words of President Bush? This is the problem. He can feel free to say what he wants about Islamic degenerates when he is not representing this country.

In other words, if you're trying to "win hearts and minds" in the Islamic world, it probably isn't a good idea to have as your point man a man who gleefully disparages Muslims. But then, why would that thought have ever crossed the minds of this administration?