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Bob Eno's avatar

"Besides, socialists and communists and progressives are just trying to get those with whom they disagree to change their minds."

You do remember that violent mass revolution was pioneered by socialists and communists, right? That is what "anti-communists" see when they see someone they consider a socialist or communist, not a polite "persuader." We don't want to use their values as arbiter, even though they see themselves as representing the universal principle of "human liberty." As for progressives, I think you may be able to imagine why on some university campuses, conservative students were afraid to let their views be known. I taught for many years, and in my later years, because I was always careful to suppress my own liberal views in class, it was not uncommon for conservative students to come to my office, hoping they could find someone to open up to. They were disappointed when I told them I was very liberal, but it educated me about classroom climates that I otherwise wouldn't have had access to.

The function of tenure depends on its remaining absolutely neutral. You and I seem to share general values, but if you mistake our values for universal ones that are simply correct while those of our opponents are simply wrong, you'll have a system of ideological isolation in academics, state by state. If you get what you wish for, the long term impact will put an end to academic freedom, except that people will choose to attend or teach at institutions where everyone is in basic agreement.

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Grumpy Liberal's avatar

Thanks for making my point. You felt it important to suppress your natural urge to express your viewpoint but held it at bay. I suspect you tried to make your classroom a space where divergent opinions could be offered and tried in the crucible of socratic dialogue. If only Wax were as circumspect and respectful.

By the way conflating the bomb throwers of the failed communist revolution with those who teach political theory is a bit disingenuous. It's the reason that "communism" -- anything that's not what right wing "conservatives" want -- is the go-to bogey man for the right. As for progressive dominance on campuses: from my observation the difference on campuses between trigger warnings and petulant malicious behavior is the difference between asking someone not to call you an asshole versus feeling quite free to degrade someone, to call someone an asshole, or worse, for whatever reason one chooses, but mostly because he/she wants to, and feels entitled to do so because "that's just my opinion, man." Unless you're Professor Wax , of course, and can do it because you're better.

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Bob Eno's avatar

Another correct point you could have drawn, Grumpy, was that conservative students came to me in error because most of my colleagues did not suppress their natural urges, and those colleagues, in my humanities wing, were always on the Left. I'm not aware, however, of *any* colleague who felt free to degrade their students on thebasis of ideology. (I know of some cases that clearly involved emergent personality disorders; one of those did result in detenuring, a very sad affair.)

I didn't say anything about those who taught political theory. I was speaking of faculty who were personally communists. I have not actually read of any instance where Professor Wax has made her views on race the subject of her teaching. Maybe she has; I don't know. The calls for her dismissal have, so far as I know, all been based on her activities outside the classroom. If Wax has systematically mistreated students, then those behaviors should be the basis of a job action, not her publicly expressed views.

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Grumpy Liberal's avatar

A fair and reasonable conclusion on Wax, though it’s hard to separate the message from the messenger in this case. Just because one doesn’t shout the pejorative inside the classroom but waits til outside the classroom door doesn’t soften the blow.

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