Dr. Everett Piper

                I chose Dr.Everett Piper to be my VIP this week simply because I read something about him that I like.  Dr. Piper is the President of Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.  He grew up in Michigan and received his B.A. from Spring Arbor University, his M.A. from Bowling Green State University, and his Ph.D. from Michigan State University.  He is an author and daily radio commentator.  He is apparently a liberal.

                I actually know little about Dr. Piper and have not heard or read anything about him until today.  He was a guest on Glenn Beck’s show last week to discuss education.  Beck said, “We have to learn critical thinking again.  We have to be able to teach people how to think and how to teach their kids not what to think, how to think.  Where do we even begin?”  

                Dr. Piper indicated that education is his “sweet spot” and a cause for his concern “The liberal arts education was established to liberate, to educate a free man and a free woman, to educate a culture and a society for liberty and liberation and freedom.  He explained the difference between “teaching truth and teaching opinions” by referring to Pol Pot, Mao, Robespierre, Chavez, Hitler, and Mussolini and saying they “all had opinions.”  “All the despots of history had opinions, and it didn’t end well.  Truth sets you free.”  He referred to his book, Why I’m a Liberal and Other Conservative Ideas, and said, “I’m poking a stick in the eye of the progressive establishment and saying I’m more classically liberal than you are because I believe in liberty and freedom and justice.”

                Yea for Dr. Piper!