In Europe, you have the same problem we have here in the U.S. Your “intellectual elite’” are a small, very insular group of self-righteous “theorists” who are absolutely certain they could create Utopia- if they could just get all you (us) stupid peasants to shut up and sing.
Or, barring that, exterminate most peasants other than those they need to do the scut-work in their Brave New World.
Seen in this light, their sackcloth-and-ashes routine over bin Laden isn’t surprising. After all, he wanted to kill Americans, capitalists, and Jews. Which have been the three principal bete’ noires of the “enlightened elite’”, on both sides of the pond, at least since the turn of the last century, if not longer. (The Fabians weren’t too fond of any of the above, either, if I recall correctly.)
The problem is, of course, that in Europe, as in the U.S., these loudmouthed idiots have the megaphone. And never shut up.
Which means the opinions of the majority of people simply are never heard, being drowned out by the interminable shrieking of the oh-so-perfect ones.
(In case you are wondering, yes, I have read “Anti-Americanism” by Revel’.)
cheers
eon
