The Best and Brightest? by Randall Smith

The term “the best and brightest” often appears lately to refer to the students at elite Ivy League universities.  Sometimes it’s used ironically, as when people ask of the students demonstrating for Hamas: “These are America’s best and brightest?” Well, no. But then again, they never were.

This isn’t merely a comment on our purportedly “elite” academic institutions.  Most of the people who invented things, created companies, defended the country, served their communities, and built strong families didn’t go to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, or any of the other “elite” institutions.  Plenty went to state universities, the military academies, or small liberal arts colleges.  Even more never went to college at all. …