On many levels the out-of-touch attitude of “elites” does seem to be what it seems to be. For us peons, the right to free speech carries responsibilities, and very few exercise the judgment and discernment that right requires. On the right and left.
Congratulations. Perhaps the best article you've ever written in my opinion. My mind swirled with a dozen complex and related points as I read the first few paragraphs - e.g., how even hate-speech is protected by the first amendment; the hypocrisy of the conservative right denouncing student protests while routinely alleging suppression of its free speech; what are Stefanik's real motives?, etc. As I read on, you eloquently, factually, and insightfully addressed each of those points backed with the usual citations and references to ensure credibility. Well done sir. I particularly applaud and agree with your observations of the likely lack of understanding by many students of the complexities and nuances of the current Middle East situation. We who are "of a certain age" may not have been around for the founding of Israel, but we have been around long enough to see first-hand the struggles of that nation and prior attempts to destroy it. Some protests and associated rhetoric make me fearful that historical knowledge and awareness of the deep roots of the struggles of Israel, Palestinians, and the surrounding Arab nations is lacking. I am even more fearful that protesters either don't know or do not fully appreciate the horrific legacy of the holocaust on the mindset of the Jewish people. If that is true, we need to better educate so the Jewish people are not the only ones fighting to make sure history does not repeat itself.
Perhaps the most disturbing part of the article is the recognition of the ability of the conservative right to control the narrative and play the long game on critical issues, in this case attacking the so-called liberal elite (more simply known as college educated), but also on matters of reproductive rights, immigration/isolationism, etc.
Excellent commentary. Universities and colleges are often the soft targets in political controversies. In the 60's you could demand the resignation of a college president who was not sufficiently anti-Vietnam war when those resposible for that policy were harder to influence. In this instance it is less the policy that is the target than the institutions themselves. These are private institutions. Does Congress really have subpoena power? In the late 1940s University of Washington faculty were interrogated by a state legislative committee, but that was a state institution.
On many levels the out-of-touch attitude of “elites” does seem to be what it seems to be. For us peons, the right to free speech carries responsibilities, and very few exercise the judgment and discernment that right requires. On the right and left.
Congratulations. Perhaps the best article you've ever written in my opinion. My mind swirled with a dozen complex and related points as I read the first few paragraphs - e.g., how even hate-speech is protected by the first amendment; the hypocrisy of the conservative right denouncing student protests while routinely alleging suppression of its free speech; what are Stefanik's real motives?, etc. As I read on, you eloquently, factually, and insightfully addressed each of those points backed with the usual citations and references to ensure credibility. Well done sir. I particularly applaud and agree with your observations of the likely lack of understanding by many students of the complexities and nuances of the current Middle East situation. We who are "of a certain age" may not have been around for the founding of Israel, but we have been around long enough to see first-hand the struggles of that nation and prior attempts to destroy it. Some protests and associated rhetoric make me fearful that historical knowledge and awareness of the deep roots of the struggles of Israel, Palestinians, and the surrounding Arab nations is lacking. I am even more fearful that protesters either don't know or do not fully appreciate the horrific legacy of the holocaust on the mindset of the Jewish people. If that is true, we need to better educate so the Jewish people are not the only ones fighting to make sure history does not repeat itself.
Perhaps the most disturbing part of the article is the recognition of the ability of the conservative right to control the narrative and play the long game on critical issues, in this case attacking the so-called liberal elite (more simply known as college educated), but also on matters of reproductive rights, immigration/isolationism, etc.
Excellent commentary. Universities and colleges are often the soft targets in political controversies. In the 60's you could demand the resignation of a college president who was not sufficiently anti-Vietnam war when those resposible for that policy were harder to influence. In this instance it is less the policy that is the target than the institutions themselves. These are private institutions. Does Congress really have subpoena power? In the late 1940s University of Washington faculty were interrogated by a state legislative committee, but that was a state institution.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_loco_parentis
What does "In Loco Parentis" mean?
Seems very tricky. A Harvard educated lawyer could probably understand this