One bad apple

"One bad apple spoils the whole bunch [was] first coined by Chaucer as 'the rotten apple injures its neighbors'," notes the U.S. Apple Association, whose web site offers a wise and witty sampler of apple sayings and their etymological roots. (Photo of pared apple for Apple-Strawberry Mix)

"UN Dispatch -- the UN Foundation's blog run by former John Kerry campaign aides -- is lamely attacking [Roger L.] Simon's motives" for reporting on the UN Oil-for-Food scandal, writes Michelle Malkin. Adds Roger himself:

They complain that I focus on the bad things about the United Nations without evincing sufficient interest in the organization's positive contributions -- all this, evidently, for my own self-aggrandizement.

The Pollyannaish "arguments" of UN apologists -- the same folks whose response to terrorists is appeasement -- call to mind a zillion old saws about nature and human nature. The most apt here is "One bad apple spoils the whole bunch" -- or "One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel," the version we were taught.  The point is that these people weren't taught -- or perhaps forgot under the sway of Marcusian inversions of common sense? -- that sweeping corruption under the rug isn't going to clean the house, and hiding your head in the sand isn't going to save your neck.  Sooner or later, the truth will out. You can't fool Mother Nature. Scientologie-e-e-e-e!

Comments

[goomp]

It is time for the United Nations to join the League of Nations on the trash heap of noble ideas for a world without humans.

[Chris]

Has anybody checked to see if Peggy Kerry, John's sister, is involved with the U.N. Dispatch?? She is a U.N. employee and lives in NYC. I posted a lot of her emails that got directed my way when I ran kerrywaffles.net. Sounds like her handywork to me.

[Mr.Kurtz]

Excellent fisking of "thetanology" over at http://www.theonion.com/news/index.php?issue=4119&n=0&ref=myy. via http://caltechgirlsworld.mu.nu/

And for part of the genesis of the UN's hatred of civilization; the segment on Dag Haamarsjkold in Paul Johnson's "Modern Times..." pulls no punches. I don't know how widely it is read, so I just keep on flogging it.