The Instapundit reminds us that yesterday was Norman Borlaug’s birthday. Happy returns! In honor of the occasion we’re going to the Classical Values Archives and pulling out an old tribute…

Borlaug recalls, "We were to help Mexico solve its own food problems. In other words, alongside our own work we were to train local scientists and ease them into our jobs. Moreover, we were to be neither consultants nor advisors, but working scientists getting our hands and boots dirty, and demonstrating by our own field results what could be done."

...But in the process Borlaug had to fight some aspects of Mexican culture, in particular the conviction that scientists were above hand labor or getting dirty. He was told by one of his colleagues in the early days, "Dr. Borlaug, we don't do these things in Mexico. That's why we have peons. All you've got to do is draw up the plans and take them to the foreman and let them do it."

Borlaug lost his temper (it wasn't the last time). He yelled back "That's why the farmers disrespect you. If you don't know how to do something yourself, how can you possibly advise them? If the peons give you false information, you wouldn't even know. No, this has to change. Until we master our own efforts, we will go nowhere in this project."

You can read the whole thing here. Dr Borlaug is a man who fully deserves the honors he has earned.

Real good for real people. We need many more like him.

Have a Happy Easter.