This Is What Defines the "Collapse of Liberal Values" to David Brooks

Some have suggested that our nation’s prominent opinion-journos are ensconced in an elitist bubble, and also that the New York Times op-ed roster sucks. What?! Then how do you explain the uncanny insight of David Brooks’ column today?

Liberal values: Tolerance. Fairness. Rationality. Rule of law. If you were to explain their collapse, what might you cite? Uh… slavery? Okay, too easy. Something more recent. Police violence? Civil forfeiture that functions as legal theft? Imperialist conquest overseas? Any number of examples of systematic oppression of minorities and women? Well, sure—you might cite those as examples. But that is why you don’t “have what it takes” to be employed as a New York Times op-ed columnist.

Finally, there has been the collapse of liberal values at home. On American campuses, fragile thugs who call themselves students shout down and abuse speakers on a weekly basis. To read Heather MacDonald’s account of being pilloried at Claremont McKenna College is to enter a world of chilling intolerance.

America was doing quite well in terms of tolerance—until right wing speakers began to be shouted down at liberal arts colleges.