Useful Idiot No More
Description:... A journalism student from Montreal; a scholarship basketball star from a Chicago ghetto; and an aspiring Harvard law student from Santaquin, Utah find themselves at the mercy of a tenacious, progressive history professor. The professor, Dr. Rhoads, eagerly anticipates another opportunity to teach a new group of students in her newly formed current events class. She is passionate about teaching students the importance of understanding history and how it applies to navigating current events. She is also proud of her reputation as the dragon lady who mercilessly crushes any students foolish enough to think they can succeed academically while retaining their religious beliefs. She tracks, with great satisfaction, how many formerly religious students she has converted to her acceptable religion of Marxism. Too late to drop the class, the three brilliant students square off against Professor Rhoads in an intellectual and religious political battleground.
The mid-term paper requires students to select and defend their choice of a historical document as an effective predictor of the future and therefore useful study source applicable to current events. Against his better judgment, the aspiring law student is persuaded by the former Chicago ghetto gang leader to choose the Book of Mormon. His attempt to justify this ancient chronicle results in a disastrous grade and his pending application to a prestigious eastern law school is at stake. Hoping to salvage his grade and his academic future, he consults with the professor. This is exactly what the professor intended because this gives her the opportunity to directly confront the returned missionary about his religious convictions. She offers an improved grade in exchange for renouncing his faith. The professor is shocked and disappointed when he declines. Professor Rhoads then offers another opportunity to attain his academic aspiration through a better grade in the final team project. The desperate student has no choice but to accept the deal and share the terms with his study group. Since the other two members have nothing to lose, they accept the offer. The journalism student and the athlete vow to help their classmate win the fight. Compelled to remain victorious over the students, the professor must now devise a team assignment which will guarantee failure-- especially for the stubborn religious nut.
Upon learning the parameters of the final assignment, the determined study group is shocked at its absurd nature and the difficulty of the task. The final project entails using the selected historical document and applying its principles to devise a subversive plan to destroy the United States. At first appalled, angry, and discouraged, they eventually chart a way to complete the assignment. Surprisingly, the former gang leader identifies a scripture-sourced formula for strengthening and protecting a nation. As the diligent team grapples with the scriptural concepts identified by the ghetto rat, they discern that the essential pillars of a healthy nation are family, faith, and freedom. They conclude that if these pillars are strong, the nation is strong. They also realize that by inverting the formula and attacking the pillars of a healthy nation, they can destroy that nation. This becomes the premise of their paper. The paper is so persuasive, it compels a shocking reversal in the professor's political position. Convinced she must change her whole life to be in harmony with her newly discovered truth, she informs her party leaders of her intention to withdraw from her highly visible roles. Unfortunately, her political party, committed to acquisition and retention of power, cannot tolerate her betrayal. This compels them to take drastic actions. The students must decide-- will they exemplify the higher morals they cling to above all?
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