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In American English, a "do-gooder" is an idealistic but naive
person, ignorant of the ways of the world.
There is no specific anti-term to "do-gooder," but most people
who call others "do-gooders" would refer to themselves as
"realists."
In the case of Lyn Nofziger and Frank Mankiewicz, however, I
would simply call them wankers. :-) --
Jason
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, April 17, 2006 6:26
PM
Subject: [USMA:36591] Who keeps the
metric system down? ... We do ... We do.
Dear
All,
I found this blog reference to the Lyn Nofziger article that was
posted here some weeks ago.
http://www.cadenhead.org/workbench/news/2893/keeps-metric-system-down
You may be interested in the comments, especially one from Paul
Trusten.
I quote from the blog:
Who Keeps the
Metric System Down?
In a Washington
Post remembrance of the late Reagan Press Secretary Lyn Nofziger, long
time friend and political rival Frank Mankiewicz claims that they worked
secretly to kill the metric system in the United
States:
... during that first year of Reagan's presidency,
I sent Lyn another copy of a column I had written a few years before,
attacking and satirizing the attempt by some organized do-gooders to inflict
the metric system on Americans, a view of mine Lyn had enthusiastically
endorsed. So, in 1981, when I reminded him that a commission actually existed
to further the adoption of the metric system and the damage we both felt this
could wreak on our country, Lyn went to work with material provided by each of
us. He was able, he told me, to prevail on the president to dissolve the
commission and make sure that, at least in the Reagan presidency, there would
be no further effort to sell metric.
It was a signal victory, but one
which we recognized would have to be shared only between the two of us, lest
public opinion once again began to head toward
metrification.
I must say that I have been intrigued by the word
'do-gooder' since I read Nofziger's initial article. I can't get out of my
head the inverse of 'do-gooder'. Does Nofziger regard himself and his 'long
time friend and political rival Frank Mankiewicz' as 'do-badders'.
I
also wonder if either Nofziger or Mankiewicz was ever aware about how
much they have cost the USA by their decision to oppose the metric system, and
their effective sabotage of metrication, during the Reagan
administration.
Cheers,
Pat Naughtin
PO Box 305 Belmont
3216
Geelong, Australia
61 3 5241 2008
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.metricationmatters.com
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