Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

Intellectual honesty is a trait greatly admired but rarely observed.  It’s hard to admit one’s view of reality or people is wrong.  It’s natural to persuade oneself that although appearances may sometimes seem to disprove one’s beliefs, they are an illusion.  It’s much easier to believe that one is still right rather than change an opinion.  That’s why people seldom do.

Very liberal Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson is an exception.  Robinson has certainly earned his credentials as a man of the left.  A frequent guest on MSNBC with a reputation for being a staunch Obama loyalist, one might think he could be counted on to support whatever the President does.  But not always.

Mr. Robinson took particular umbrage with Barack Obama’s remarks at a recent Washington prayer breakfast for drawing parallels between atrocities committed by Christians in centuries past and current horrors perpetuated by ISIS. 

“The fact that Joan of Arc [was burned alive] in 1431 does not make it improper to ‘get on our high horse’ about unspeakable acts being committed in our time.”

I suspect there will be few other opportunities for me to commend future columns of his but, for now, I must give due credit.  I can think of few higher accolades than to say a person displayed intellectual honesty.  Bravo, Eugene Robinson.