I haven't liked Charlie Daniels this much since The Devil Went Down to Georgia

In an open letter to Hollywood about its anti-war attitude, CD says: "You people are some of the most disgusting examples of a waste of protoplasm I’ve ever had the displeasure to hear about."


For the full text of the letter, go to: http://www.charliedaniels.com/soapbox/03/242.html

 

Great. So we don't like Hollywood dummies using their influence to get their voices heard but we like it when Charlie Daniels speaks up. Uhhhhh....

By the way, did Charlie Daniels study at Oxford or Cambridge?

 

He holds an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, 1996.

 

Interpretation: The University of North Carolina, Wilmington at some point handed Charlie Daniels a piece of paper for which he did absolutely no academic work, that is absolutely worthless. Oh yeah, and they called this worthless piece of paper an Honorary Doctor of Letters.

 

RSDad - Dude, you've got to lighten up. You're waaay too tight.

 

Nah, I just sound like that. The truth is that I haven't taken ANYTHING seriously in years. I'm as laid back as they come.

You have to remember one thing though. I'm in the BIG minority here. There are lots of people on the one end of the see-saw but not too many on my end. While the other side can take turns, I'm left to speak up for my side all the time.

Plus, I just like to argue sometimes for fun.

 

You are a bitter man. Honary degrees are not conferred for academic achievement, they are awarded as vehicles of recognition for contributions to society or distinguished service to the community. I'm sure that UNC-Wilmington has policies in place that prescribe how and when they are awarded, and isn't so careless to hand them out frivolously.

You may consider them worthless, that's your opinion.

 

Why does expressing my opinion make me bitter?

 

Because you're chopping down poor Charlie for his honorary degree, attacking the academic value of it when it's not an academic degree by definition.

OK, perhaps not bitter, maybe sour.

 

A degree that is not "academic by definition" but given by an academic institution is worthless. Plain and simple. No bitterness, no sourness, just fact.

I only chopped at "poor Charlie" because you brought it up. My original beef was with the contradiction of slamming one group of celebrities for using their fame to yap about policy without any educational support while praising another.

 

BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BITTER SYNICAL OPINION????

 

Literally every institution of higher learning in the US, and I would venture to say the World, confers honorary degrees. If you claim that in "fact" they are worthless, perhaps you should notify them that they are wasting their time issuing certificates of recognition.

I'll say it again, you are confusing academic degrees with honorary degrees. Your attempt to apply the same attributes of value to both equally is self-serving to support your argument.

You sure seem to have a propensity to elevate your opinion to "fact".

 

"You have to remember one thing though. I'm in the BIG minority here. There are lots of people on the one end of the see-saw but not too many on my end. While the other side can take turns, I'm left to speak up for my side all the time."

That IS sad.

We all know you are doing your best though.

You are really reaching, you know, picking on Charlie's degree. I bet it means something to him and it did get him a seat "down front" at the ceremony.... probably lunch too. See, not so worthless.

How about this.... we'll put our celebreties up against your celebreties, any time, any place. Our celebrities can whoop ass too! So yours better watch out.

 

Time won't permit me to notify 'every institution of higher learning in the US' but I will draft a letter today to the universities that I've attended stating my opinion as you've stated it, OK?

I'll take your other points into consideration. Thanks for the advice.

 

I'll jump on your end of the see-saw this time. If one celebrety's opinion is worthless, then all celebreties's opinions are worthless.

I'll also say that some ACADEMIC degrees are worthless, too.

See Ya,

Darrin Talbott

 

Guys...

No need to argue.

RSDad has a valid point.

Charlie Daniel's opinion is a worthless as anyone's that he wishes to degrate.

Can you say "double standart"...I knew you could...

 

-Oh yeah, and your's is just full of optimism.

-The original post was about Charlie Daniels referring to some other people as "the most disgusting examples of a waste of protoplasm I’ve ever had the displeasure to hear about". I wouldn't exactly call that optimistic either.

-The correct spelling is 'cynical'.

 

Fair enough. While you're at it and if you have a little extra time you may want to write to Oxford, which was one of your examples. They conferred an honorary Doctor of Letters degree to Mark Twain in 1906, who was reportedly very proud of it despite his general negative opinion of higher education.

I was actually hoping that you'd pick up on the apparent irony of institutions of higher learning engaging in a widespread consipiracy to on the one hand educate and reward scholarship while on the other hand defraud the public by cerimoniously awarding worthless honors, but you didn't run with it.

 

Re: Guys...

Haga, it's not an argument, it's a debate. I don't think that many people look to Hollywood or Nashville for serious political commentary.

BTW, anyone ever tell you that you type like Vincent Haskovec speaks?

 

I daresay CD...

...has done more for music than millions of other music grads whose work has never been heard but for a handful of people. Regardless if you think his music is Southern drivel, it achieved enough popularity and success to merit recognition.

Real world experience and success is just as valid a way to earn recognition from academic institutions as studying in their oft anonymous musical hallways.

Edit - He did eventually finish (Einstein), oops!