Conservative Legend, And NC Native, Thomas Sowell Pens Farewell Column

For decades, Thomas Sowell has been a conservative thought leader as respected as the likes of Milton Friedman, Ronald Reagan, and other conservative icons.

Sowell’s weekly columns were sought after, and could easily shape any current debate taking place in conservative think tanks around the country.

But all good things must end, eventually.

And Sowell’s reign as leader of the conservative intelligentsia has come to an end.

Writing his weekly column for the final time early Tuesday, Sowell, a North Carolina native, penned a farewell fitting of his status as conservative legend and icon.

Here’s an excerpt:

Back when I taught at UCLA, I was constantly amazed at how little so many students knew. Finally, I could no longer restrain myself from asking a student the question that had long puzzled me: “What were you doing for the last 12 years before you got here?”

Reading about the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, and the widespread retrogressions of Western civilization that followed, was an experience that was sobering, if not crushing. Ancient history in general lets us know how long human beings have been the way they are, and dampens giddy zeal for the latest panaceas, despite how politically correct those panaceas may be.

When I was growing up, we were taught the stories of people whose inventions and scientific discoveries had expanded the lives of millions of other people. Today, students are being taught to admire those who complain, denounce and demand.

The first column I ever wrote, 39 years ago, was titled “The Profits of Doom.” This was long before Al Gore made millions of dollars promoting global warming hysteria. Back in 1970, the prevailing hysteria was the threat of a new ice age — promoted by some of the same environmentalists who are promoting global warming hysteria today.

Sowell’s full column is a definitive must read.

CLICK HERE to read it in full.

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