Not long ago, a former AAUP chapter head wrote to NAS to express his “disgust and dismay” at our Argus Project. We replied to our critic, Doug Derryberry, professor emeritus from Oregon State University, in Arrrrggus.
Welcome back Doug! As readers of our Comments section may have already noticed, Professor Derryberry has weighed in since yesterday with six new postings, in which he takes exception to our choice of topics, our lack of intelligence, our poor arguments, our passion for wrong-headed interpretations, our ignorance of matters within his expertise, and our low morals, not to mention several other serious shortcomings.
It appears that the NAS website has attracted its very own gadfly, who channels some combination of the sensibilities of the AAUP and the American Psychological Association. I don’t know that Professor Derryberry is someone of immensely high standing on the Kremlin Wall of political correctness. It isn’t as if we have suddenly gained the devoted attention of Michael Bérubé or Cornel West, but we are nonetheless flattered by the attention. If Professor Derryberry wishes to keep close watch on us, we welcome his company. He can play the role of Jaques in our Forest of Arden.
In his honor, the National Association of Scholars declares this Derryberry Day. We are pleased you have overcome your disgust and dismay long enough to read so many of our articles and to compose such stinging rebukes. Encore! Encore!
