Those blasted, crazy, weird, stupid left-wingers (bah, academics and intellectuals, bah) are always coming to the defense of the downtrodden and oppressed too early. Why, they were even concerned for the Kurds all the way back in 1975! No right thinking person even knew where Kurdistan was in the seventies, being far more concerned and occupied with the crises taking place in south-east Asia, the charged atmosphere surrounding Israel and its neighbors, or the momentous and surprising events in China.

If only they'd ignore the oppression of marginal peoples until the rest of us get around to paying attention, then we wouldn't have to feel so defensive about how our morality is wholly contingent upon our interests. This whole taking the Rights of Man and assorted impassioned Declarations seriously all the time sure is annoying.