I am not a fan of Chris Matthews, but last night’s interview with radio talk show host Kevin James on Bush’s use of the Neville Chamberlain/appeasement analogy in a speech in Israel is perfect for the classroom. As I’ve said on numerous occasions I fervently believe that knowledge of the past can inform our understanding of the world around us. It’s what drives me in the classroom. Unfortunately, there are too many people out there who rely on their personalities and hyperbole as a substitute for sound analysis. Chris gave this clown every opportunity to explain the concept of appeasement, but rather than admit his ignorance James kept digging himself into a deeper hole. Sometimes yelling and screaming at the top of your lungs is not sufficient. Show this to your classes and ask your students to think about what type of advocate they hope to be.
A Teachable Moment
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Thanks for posting this video. The abuse of the term “appeasement” on internet forums like BlogCatalog’s has been driving me crazy this spring, but I expect some ignorance there. Bush’s use of the term and McCain’s echoing of the remarks were over the top. If they want to talk about how, when and if we should talk to Iran, fine, but this abuse of history is just plain wrong.
i really don’t know who any of these guys are… (i sheepishly don’t watch much tv) but this is very entertaining.