Juan Cole's Hit Piece on South Carolina

The Enlightened and Informed Juan Cole


If you ever go to hear University of Michigan Professor Juan Cole speak (as I have), you come away with the impression that he is a know-it-all. In fact, he runs a blog entitled, "Informed Comment". His latest piece is an example of his intellectual arrogance. In this piece, he "explains" Donald Trump's victory in the South Carolina primary. It is because, you see, voters in South Carolina (at least the Republicans) are a bunch of dumb, racist hicks who hate Muslims.

http://www.juancole.com/2016/02/trumps-sc-victory-and-anti-muslim-hatred.html#comment-375028

"But perhaps one unexpected indication as to why he won is Trump’s strident hatred of Muslims."

I think the word, "hatred" is a bit strong. After all, the harshest thing Trump has said on the topic was that he proposed a ban on Muslims coming to the country until the government figures out "what the Hell is going on". After all, that would be designed to save innocent lives, hardly an evil intent.

But it is Cole's demographic analysis on South Carolinians that I find objectionable along with his pronouncement that the "legacy of slavery and Jim Crow is hardly gone". Sorry, Dr Cole, but it is a new South.

And then there is this:

"Likely the large number of southern men who spend some time in the military is one explanation for this unusual concern with terrorism." 

Of course. And what an evil combination that is. (Cole was an Army brat.)

At any rate, in a few days, Sotuh Carolinians will return to the polls and no doubt give Hillary Clinton another primary victory over Bernie Sanders. One wonders what Cole will say about them then. I know. He will say that those were the enlightened Democrats as opposed to dumb hick Republicans. Maybe he will say that those were a combination of African-Americans combined with enlightened Northerners who have retired to the Palmetto State.

As for Trump, I am starting to believe that he is winning national support largely due to his stance on the border and Muslim immigration. That just may run deeper than we all believed. If I am right, Dr Cole will find out that it is not just a bunch of dumb, racist hicks in South Carolina he can point the finger at.

Oh, I forgot. Cole did say that South Carolina is a lovely place with warm and friendly people. That sort of reminds me of how Trump talks about Mexicans out one side of his mouth.

*Update: I sent in my own comments to the reader thread, but they have not been posted. (This is not the first time.) Cole clearly does not tolerate opposing viewpoints on his blog.