While I admire and support his organization's mission and work, he comes off as a condescending jackass: He's got a long way to go intellectually if he feels that only intellectuals are capable of moral courage. Ugh.You’ve got to distance yourself from fear if you want to be a true writer and a true intellectual, which is what I’m trying to be.’
If your education is to be used to shut up, placate, downplay, sweet talk, then you are better off being a carpenter.’
Maybe I'm reading it wrong. It just seemed an odd juxtaposition because (at least in the US), union carpenters actually undergo extensive and quite formalized training to learn their craft, complete with graded curriculum. It's a 4 year program as an apprentice. Maybe he should have said 'dishwasher' :)