One of the many pleasures that life offers is seeing your critics prove your point. I got to see this dynamic first hand in Ecuador when I was interviewed by Roberto Aguilar, described as the “Content Editor” of Hoy. Aguilar’s column, which seethes with hostility and disdain, unintentionally proves the thesis of my talk.
This first installment responding to Aguilar will discuss only the most important points. I was confused by Aguilar’s column the first few times I read it. His column is so angry that I wondered what terrible thing I said that caused him such pain. I focused too much in these early readings on his ad hominem attacks on my looks, my inability to speak Spanish, and my non-elite nature because I teach in “Kansas” (sic) (“profesor de Kansas”). Aguilar is unable to speak English and does not understand the U.S. system of federalism or he would not write that the University of Missouri is in the state of Kansas rather than the state of Missouri.
