p. 18 Fellow Teachers, Rieff

Rieff makes an argument in principle against a teacher taking sides while arguing that the politician is always wrong to struggle for neutrality. The principle for the teacher is patient thought (p. 13 footnote). The principle for the politician is right authority. The politician who apes the principled teacher is a fraud--the politician is always armed and always aiming to win. We can agree or disagree with whether the right or the left is correct in claiming "right authority," but the claims of neutrality by the moderate should always be distrusted because he's gotta gun and is aiming to win on his terms.