I agree that staying mum is a losing strategy for unis and colleges. But they're probably expecting to see some resistance from other sectors, like members of the opposition party (or any remaining not-quite-Nazi Republican members) among our elected officials, and they not seeing much of that. It all creates a mutual "say nothing" strategy that can only lead to more and more intense fascist oppression. The only hopeful sector I'm seeing is the courts, but their enforcement power isn't what we would like it to be in such difficult times.
As a Prof and grad of Johns Hopkins, I can say this is shocking to me. I thought we were too harmless to attack.
My advice to kids though is consider the many good options: small colleges that don't depend on federal grants the way big universities and the Ivies do, or college abroad which is often cheaper than in the U.S. Look into colleges with 2000-3000 students and into colleges in Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. You'll get a better education than at any Ivy and have a blast.
I'm sure you're right about the Ivies. They do have great resources and often excellent faculty, but many smaller schools have excellent faculties and pretty good resources, too. But my suspicion is that if you have a fascist regime in power, eventually they'll come for any and all sized institutions of higher ed. They want the chill to descend everywhere.
As a product of the 60s, I hope a few schools will be progressive thought leaders. In my day it was Antioch, Oberlin, Beloit, Wesleyan. We were called hippies, radicals, and counterculture.
That would be good. But I think the trouble is that the humanities have lost most of their impact. Many students don’t want to major in English or philosophy anymore. They might dabble in these disciplines because they see that there are good things to learn in them and from them, but they also know “humanistic inquiry” isn’t where the money is once you graduate, though I think it can prove valuable if you want to go into, say, law. And the colleges and universities can’t accommodate even the pitiful amount of English & similar PhD-holders who would like to teach.
When the nazis ordered that all Jewish academics be fired, there was nary a whimper from either the colleagues of the Jewish professors or the universities. The lack of any solidarity was shocking to those who were expelled, but looking around today, not clear the zeitgeist is any different. And hello Wilkie Farr and Gallagher, down there on your knees!
I was just checking out Snyder’s book “On Tyranny” for a patron, and we were both pretty excited that he was moving here, although also sick to our stomachs about the reason he has to do it.
So much for his "don't obey in advance". Ok, he waited a couple months and found a job in Canada. The rest of us are supposed to just buy his books and hope for the best while they mow us down at protests.
"no one wants to be the first Indian out of the woods". This would likely be a reference to Native American Indians ... and the fact that the colonialists fought with guns before the locals had them. Resulting in a very bad time if you were the first foe to step out of cover.
What's most baffling is where do these grotesque, craven, cowardly university administrators think that they're going to end up?
They're so rich and arrogant that they think history doesn't apply to them.
They're still going to be among the first ones rounded up by $hitler's MAGAts and sent to the gas chambers, no matter how much they supplicate themselves.
Only because they allow it.
I agree that staying mum is a losing strategy for unis and colleges. But they're probably expecting to see some resistance from other sectors, like members of the opposition party (or any remaining not-quite-Nazi Republican members) among our elected officials, and they not seeing much of that. It all creates a mutual "say nothing" strategy that can only lead to more and more intense fascist oppression. The only hopeful sector I'm seeing is the courts, but their enforcement power isn't what we would like it to be in such difficult times.
As a Prof and grad of Johns Hopkins, I can say this is shocking to me. I thought we were too harmless to attack.
My advice to kids though is consider the many good options: small colleges that don't depend on federal grants the way big universities and the Ivies do, or college abroad which is often cheaper than in the U.S. Look into colleges with 2000-3000 students and into colleges in Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. You'll get a better education than at any Ivy and have a blast.
I'm sure you're right about the Ivies. They do have great resources and often excellent faculty, but many smaller schools have excellent faculties and pretty good resources, too. But my suspicion is that if you have a fascist regime in power, eventually they'll come for any and all sized institutions of higher ed. They want the chill to descend everywhere.
As a product of the 60s, I hope a few schools will be progressive thought leaders. In my day it was Antioch, Oberlin, Beloit, Wesleyan. We were called hippies, radicals, and counterculture.
That would be good. But I think the trouble is that the humanities have lost most of their impact. Many students don’t want to major in English or philosophy anymore. They might dabble in these disciplines because they see that there are good things to learn in them and from them, but they also know “humanistic inquiry” isn’t where the money is once you graduate, though I think it can prove valuable if you want to go into, say, law. And the colleges and universities can’t accommodate even the pitiful amount of English & similar PhD-holders who would like to teach.
If this were in Greek Universities the riots would be massive and several universities would declare themselves independent.
Good show...
𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯 𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘞𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘬 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢
𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦’𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯’𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/susan-crawford-wisconsin-supreme-court-elon-musk-b2725710.html
But how long can the irresponsibility of the voters be allowed to stand?
/s
I don't even have hope that my alma mater UC Berkeley won't cave. Afterall, they still employ John Yoo.
Ta, Marcie. I remember Columbia from the late 60s, when the protestors timed getting filmed for the 6 o'clock local news. Sigh.
So Mr. "Don't obey in advance" is leaving. Ok.
It's more profitable than obeying.
So sue me.
When the nazis ordered that all Jewish academics be fired, there was nary a whimper from either the colleagues of the Jewish professors or the universities. The lack of any solidarity was shocking to those who were expelled, but looking around today, not clear the zeitgeist is any different. And hello Wilkie Farr and Gallagher, down there on your knees!
"The antisemitism thing is a canard, of course." O rly? https://president.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/Announcements/Report-2-Task-Force-on-Antisemitism.pdf
Add to the list of lickspittles the University of Southern California. They were written out of my will before, but they're not getting back in now.
Incidentally, the same school that had Orenthal James Simpson as a famous football player.
I was just checking out Snyder’s book “On Tyranny” for a patron, and we were both pretty excited that he was moving here, although also sick to our stomachs about the reason he has to do it.
So much for his "don't obey in advance". Ok, he waited a couple months and found a job in Canada. The rest of us are supposed to just buy his books and hope for the best while they mow us down at protests.
Sorry, he lost me.
Getting out of the country isn't that expensive, ask asylum. Every second you pay taxes in a fascist country you are supporting a fascist regime.
Oh, why's that?
JK LOL, is having the country next door collapse into a totalitarian kleptocracy bad?
"no one wants to be the first Indian out of the woods". This would likely be a reference to Native American Indians ... and the fact that the colonialists fought with guns before the locals had them. Resulting in a very bad time if you were the first foe to step out of cover.
Attacking intellectuals and universities?
Why, it's a Cultural Revolution!
"Smash the four year olds," comrades!
"Tin soldiers and TrumpMusk comin'..."
Why waste your money on an Ivy League school when they capitulate faster than a public one? Fucking cowards
What's most baffling is where do these grotesque, craven, cowardly university administrators think that they're going to end up?
They're so rich and arrogant that they think history doesn't apply to them.
They're still going to be among the first ones rounded up by $hitler's MAGAts and sent to the gas chambers, no matter how much they supplicate themselves.
Academics, of all people, need to understand:
YOU CAN NEVER BOW LOW ENOUGH OR OFTEN ENOUGH
THEY WILL NEVER STOP DEMANDING NEW CAPITULATIONS
YOU CAN NEVER THROW ENOUGH PEOPLE UNDER THE BUS TO SATISFY THEM
THEIR MURDER LUST WILL NEVER EVER EVER EVER BE SATED
EVER