You, Sir, Are an Idiot
Newspaper Columns
220 pages · Released Apr 1, 2005 · iUniverse
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You, Sir, Are an Idiot parent’s guide: what’s inside
Sexual content
LGBTQ+ themes
Substance use
What it offers
Positive role models
Educational value
A note for parents
This is a collection of adult opinion columns addressing serious political and social issues from the mid-2000s, primarily focused on Iraq War politics and American policy debates. The book's tone is intellectual and argumentative rather than inflammatory, encouraging critical thinking and respectful disagreement. It is not written for young readers and assumes familiarity with recent history and current events; high school students interested in civics or journalism might find value, but middle schoolers would likely find it dense and inaccessible. The language is occasionally crude (reflected in the title itself) and references disturbing realities like war violence, making it better suited for teenagers than younger children.
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From the publisher
"You, Sir, Are an Idiot" compiles journalist Richard Edward Larsen's short columns on America's recent big events. Larsen's columns arise from the belief that reasonable debate must be restored to understand and to resolve the issues polarizing too much of public debate in the United States. No topic escapes Larsen's o... "You, Sir, Are an Idiot" compiles journalist Richard Edward Larsen's short columns on America's recent big events. Larsen's columns arise from the belief that reasonable debate must be restored to understand and to resolve the issues polarizing too much of public debate in the United States. No topic escapes Larsen's observations: On Iraq war justification: "No, this is not a failure of the intelligence agencies, it is a failure of this administration to use the intelligence intelligently." On war images: "We should never avert our eyes from the violence we visit upon ourselves in the name of hatred or politics or religion." On self-improvement: "I'm not sure when the tradition of new year's resolutions began, but I wouldn't be surprised if it started when a female Neanderthal looked at her mate one New Year's Eve and said, 'You need to quit slouching.'" On the future: "Peace is not merely a process, it is a commitment to the future of mankind." Larsen's columns urge us to question what we are told, to look beyond the superficial and to exercise always our basic right to look someone in the eye and say, "You, sir, are an idiot."
Shelved under
- Philosophy
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ISBN 9780595349074 · iUniverse