Tim Donovan
Disagreements
I took issue (privately, or in retrospect) with two things Mr. Adamchak said in that IPS class (1972-73).
One day, when the class was discussing reforms or additional freedom for students,, a kid said "All we want…" Mr. Adamchak replied by drawing lines on the blackboard. The first line represented where we are now. Then he drew a second line beneath it, saying some people state "this is all we want." Then he drew a third line beneath that, and claimed "later, people say this is all we want." Then another line lower that that…. His point was that things will progressively degenerate if you give people what they want. Essentially Mr. Adamchak was saying that people can't be trusted with freedom. Obviously, that's at odds with the basic principles of a democracy. I don't understand how Mr. Adamchak could have had such a view, yet still serve in the Air Force. Why was he willing to risk his neck fighting for a democracy if he didn't believe in the core tenets underlying it?
Another time, Mr. Adamchak said of the Irish: "They gave nothing to the world. Even the potato came from the New World." In fact the Irish did much to preserve learning following the fall of the western Roman Empire. At a time of barbarian invasions, Ireland was an island of stability and safety; some scholars fled there. The Dark ages would've been darker and more lasting, had it not been for Ireland. One book was entitled HOW THE IRISH SAVED CIVILIZATION. If saving civilization is not giving something to the world I don't know what is.
The Irish also contributed to America's independence. Americans of English ancestry were often reluctant to oppose Britain. In contrast, the Irish were often eager to fight Britain, hence made up a large proportion of Washington's army. Even with their help, the revolutionary war was a close run affair. Without it the US probably wouldn't have become independent….
One day, when the class was discussing reforms or additional freedom for students,, a kid said "All we want…" Mr. Adamchak replied by drawing lines on the blackboard. The first line represented where we are now. Then he drew a second line beneath it, saying some people state "this is all we want." Then he drew a third line beneath that, and claimed "later, people say this is all we want." Then another line lower that that…. His point was that things will progressively degenerate if you give people what they want. Essentially Mr. Adamchak was saying that people can't be trusted with freedom. Obviously, that's at odds with the basic principles of a democracy. I don't understand how Mr. Adamchak could have had such a view, yet still serve in the Air Force. Why was he willing to risk his neck fighting for a democracy if he didn't believe in the core tenets underlying it?
Another time, Mr. Adamchak said of the Irish: "They gave nothing to the world. Even the potato came from the New World." In fact the Irish did much to preserve learning following the fall of the western Roman Empire. At a time of barbarian invasions, Ireland was an island of stability and safety; some scholars fled there. The Dark ages would've been darker and more lasting, had it not been for Ireland. One book was entitled HOW THE IRISH SAVED CIVILIZATION. If saving civilization is not giving something to the world I don't know what is.
The Irish also contributed to America's independence. Americans of English ancestry were often reluctant to oppose Britain. In contrast, the Irish were often eager to fight Britain, hence made up a large proportion of Washington's army. Even with their help, the revolutionary war was a close run affair. Without it the US probably wouldn't have become independent….
