A couple years ago I said that there is nothing that any person or persons can do or say that will shock me. So far, I think I have been correct. Was I shocked when I read that Eric Pianka, a professor at the University of Texas was advocating killing 90% of humanity with the Ebola virus? No, of course not. Nor was it surprising to me to discover that Stu Bykofsky of the Philly Daily News thinks another 9/11 would be good for the sake of the unity of the country. I’m sure most people would be horrified to read such suggestions. Is it because they don’t think humanity is capable of such evil acts? Perhaps, especially among those who are almost in a state of denial that 9/11 ever happened to begin with. But I think most people would be shocked to hear these comments coming from people in prominent positions in the American academy and media.

I am not surprised because I think many Americans, especially those in the academy, are terrorists at heart. Whether its population control or calling for another concrete terrorist act, the underlying message is the same: humanity is a pest. It may be clouded with pretty rhetoric it’s for the “common good.” Yes, that’s what they all say. Pianka said that we’re not better than bacteria, and that smart people do not have children. Then the people cheered. He was presented with an award as a “Distinguished Texas Scientist.” Of course he was. Now the next question is: will Pianka be one of the first to bury or be buried? Will Bykofsky be one of the first to strap a bomb to his chest and kill a few hundred people in a crowded subway in order to unite the country? I doubt it. These people see themselves as Messiahs. They think they’ve come to save humanity from itself, or perhaps save the planet from humanity. If they themselves die, who will have the courage to lead the rest of humanity to the grave?