Oct 23, 2021 2 min read

The fairy tale with a happy ending conjured up in Gary Stout’s Oct. 10 commentary really made Acadia sound like a wonderful place. The Acadians were so smart to create a “constitution of knowledge” that enable them to have a “system that vetted speech before it was accepted as knowledge.” They had the foresight to create panels of “professionals” to “review” ideas and opinions of the common folk before those ideas and opinions saw the light of day. Hard to see what could go wrong with a system like this.

I expect an added benefit of having those experts and “professionals” vetting all ideas and opinions would be that, in short order, the experts and professionals will have essentially defined all knowledge – they’d have an answer for every idea or opinion. Accordingly, it’s likely that Acadians simply have to follow the knowledge provided for them by the “professionals.” Come to think of it, there really would be no need for thinking, questioning, or opining in Acadia! Moreover, constitution of knowledge would ensure no orange-haired boogie-persons could invade Acadia and the rural rubes and Christians would be tamped down so as to not raise any uncomfortable questions about illegal immigrants or God. Yes, sir, it’s easy to see why Acadia was propelled “forward into many years of peace and prosperity.”

Only two minor questions come to my mind. Who picks the “professionals” who vet the free speech and ideas of Acadians? How does Acadia deal with troublesome people who don’t agree with the results of the vetting? Maybe Acadian “professionals” are still working on those issues.

Steve Johnson

Washington