Infiltrating a Merkan military installation book-shop

Posted by Anatole Zliplitt, Director of Public Assuagement, Mt. Palomine Institute of Mysteries

Many adventures ensued following our deposition upon the "Royales" pageantry grounds (the regal home team won 5 to 3!) and these will be detailed in later postings. Notable among the following days' explorations was our cunning infiltration of a High Sekrit Merkan military base (flashing our Narragansett National District horseless carriage licenses at the gateway readily did the "trick"--they assumed we hailed from an "Urth" place known as Road Ireland!) where we immediately sought out a book shop in order to gauge the intellectual warp and woof of this fully martial establishment. To our surprise and delight the various critical publications rampant within "Blue" state bookeries were on display and available for sale (Edward Said's Orientalism actually in a top and frontward place, I nearly tripped up upon it!) and a full complement of alternate cloth-and-paper bound views and opinions, along with deadpan and self-critical histories, could be found! All in all the general intellectual heft of the joint was greater than we had discerned in most Merkan centers of learning; missing only were mere rabid opinion and catalogues of slander i.e the textbooks of many Studenten. It would seem that in this militaristic realm all opinions are honored and examined provided they have some basis in a simple conjoining of fact and logic--the denizens hereabouts seek truth and real-world solutions, not rancid lubricant for bad ideas.

The Soldaten we encountered and often chatted with underscored this initial impression--most, if not all, possessed certificates of higher learning (many of an advanced nature), and eloquence (or quiet humility) was the rule. This atop records of success and demonstrated courage under duress. We encountered no parroting of notions, no sloganeering, and no brain-cleansed dogma; ideas were bandied about freely, welcomed even. What a strange contrast to our brief visit (thus far not posted as we have yet to recover from the ordeal!) to a "Blue" state Universität some weeks back where we were harangued endlessly by children (they at least seemed so in manner if not in average height) and rudely corrected for the merest perceived slip of allowed language! I believe Patty Pille--who decked a sarcastic "Phenminmist" (?) professor--is planning a post on this "vacation in Helle" once her descriptions settle down into printable language.