Do enjoy a nice debate, Lox. And hope that while you are displaying erudition or your prolier than thou chip on your shoulder you don't meet any chavs who might take umbrage at joined up thinking.

Or do you think that there is some excuse for deliberately choosing to remain ignorant and to assault those who choose to learn?

Acting as those rightly pilloried by the OP is a matter of choice. It is a choice that deserves vilification. It is the choice that disenfranchises those who might choose to learn at school, rather than disrupt lessons. It is the choice that enfranchises certain "political parties". It is the choice that makes "philosopher" a term of abuse in the UK. It is not a choice that deserves defence.