Kurtz (em complemento ao post "Ignobel"...)

Stanley Kurtz é doutorado em antropologia. Trabalha na Hoover Institution da Universidade de Stanford. Tropecei no nome dele numa revista profissional, onde se referia que a declaração a favor dos casamentos homossexuais feita pela Associação Antropológica Americana tinha vindo contrariar as afirmações de Kurtz, contra os casamentos, na Comissão de Justiça do Senado dos EUA. Diz ele:

«There is good reason to believe that same-sex marriage, and marriage-like same-sex registered partnerships, are both an effect and a reinforcing cause of this Scandinavian trend toward unmarried parenthood. The increasing cultural separation between the ideas of marriage and parenthood makes same-sex marriage more conceivable. Once marriage is separated from the idea of parenthood, there seems little reason to deny marriage, or marriage-like partnerships, to same-sex couples. By the same token, once marriage (or a status close to marriage) has been redefined to include same-sex couples, the symbolic separation between marriage and parenthood is confirmed, locked-in, and reinforced». Até aqui, quase parece uma constatação. Mas o statement termina assim:

«In short, since the adoption of same-sex registered partnerships?and of full, formal same-sex marriage?marriage has declined substantially in both Scandinavia and the Netherlands. In the districts of Scandinavia most accepting of same-sex marriage, marriage itself has almost entirely disappeared. I have shown that same-sex marriage contributed significantly to this pattern of marital decline. The social harm in all this is the damage to children. Children will suffer greatly if the Scandinavian pattern takes hold, because the concomitant of the Scandinavian pattern is a rising tide of family dissolution. And a further decline of marriage and family is sure to bring calls for a major expansion of the welfare state. For all these reasons, steps to block same-sex marriage should be taken». (sublinhado meu)

Fascinado por este meu colega cuja pesquisa se baseia na análise de números sobre a Escandinávia e a Holanda, fui procurar mais. E encontro-o noutra área das "guerras culturais". Após a morte de Edward Said, vai ao Congresso dos EUA denunciar o trabalho deste intelectual: «... [Dr Stanley Kurz of the Hoover Institute...] claims that the presence of "post-colonial theory" in academic circles has produced professors who refuse to support or instruct students interested in joining the State Department or American intelligence agencies». (aqui)

Não só ensino teoria pós-colonial como admiro Said. Cada um tem o seu gosto, como é evidente. Mas ir ao Senado denunciar como perniciosas as ideias de alguém não é bem o mesmo que fazer um post sobre Kurtz. Dizia ele ao Senado:

«The ruling intellectual paradigm in academic area studies (especially Middle Eastern Studies) is called "post-colonial theory." Post-colonial theory was founded by Columbia University professor of comparative literature, Edward Said. Said gained fame in 1978, with the publication of his book, Orientalism. In that book, Said equated professors who support American foreign policy with the 19th century European intellectuals who propped up racist colonial empires. The core premise of post-colonial theory is that it is immoral for a scholar to put his knowledge of foreign languages and cultures at the service of American power». (o statement está aqui)