How to Avoid the "Vietnam Syndrome"

Want to avoid the Vietnam Syndrome where the public tires or a war when it lasts too long or becomes too difficult. Easy, just change the poll question.

If this question had been asked on April 30th 2003, we could have avoided any Iraq Syndrome:

War is a very difficult undertaking. Sometimes wars last a long time and casualties mount. I am going to ask you a question about the Iraq War, but I warn you that you will not be allowed to change your answer later and will be held to your view about the war in Iraq until it comes to an end.

With that in mind: All in all, considering the costs to the United States versus the benefits to the United States, do you think that the war in Iraq was worth fighting, or not?

I wonder what the response would have been at that time?

In thinking about polls, it's important to remember that poll questions are pure creatures of man and that you can ask anything you want.

Brooklyn Prof Calls Muslims Moral Retards

The Nation on the Brooklyn College sociologist who was blocked from his department chairpersonship for calling religious believers "moral retards".

The real reason he ran into trouble - using too broad a brush. If he'd just slandered Christians he might have got away ith it but "believers" includes Muslims and Jews. A Brooklyn no no.