Ahoy, matey!
Jeremy Aldrich -- November 19th, 2008
Who would have known that we have an expert on African pirates right here in Harrisonburg? Dr. J. Peter Pham is a professor at JMU and director of its Nelson Institute for International and Public Affairs. Today he’s been busy, sharing his knowledge of the recent unpleasantness in Somalia with NPR and PBS’s NewsHour and even Air America. Once this very serious problem is resolved, I’m going to call him and see if I can get some tips for next year’s Talk Like a Pirate Day.
Interestingly, Dr. Pham was also a (the?) Africa advisor to Sen. McCain during his presidential run.
I got home last night right as the segment was starting. When they said James Madison University, my ears perked up and I watched the entire News Hour. Interesting fact about “Africa Advisor” position.
It is an especially interesting fact that Dr. Pham was McCain’s Africa Advisor when you consider the nonsense spouted by the likes of Ken Gibbs and others at dnronline.com about JMU and its “liberal faculty.” Evidence to the contrary of their opinions — such as Pham’s role in the McCain campaign — is never included in their misinformed rants.