While reporting on this story, I emailed scores of UArts faculty members to solicit comment. A few were willing to speak on the record. Many more on both sides of the controversy insisted that their comments be kept off the record or anonymous. They feared openly participating in a debate about a major event at their institution––even after their university president put out an uncompromising statement in support of free speech––though none expressed any view that couldn’t be broadcast on NPR.These “students” don’t belong in school. After all, they already know everything they care to know.
Wednesday, May 01, 2019
Say alleged students …
… UArts Students Want Camille Paglia Gone - The Atlantic.
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When I was in college, the campus's eminent Roman historian used to spend his final three-hour lecture every semester ranting against Christians—a rant that included a slide show! His argument was that Christians misunderstood their role in Roman history, had an unwarranted persecution complex, and represented a cult that would be swept away and replaced in time by an equally absurd set of beliefs.
ReplyDeleteHe ruffled a few feathers, I didn't agree with him, and his public axe-grinding was awkward and weird, but nobody called for him to be fired. In fact, it was marvelous to watch him harangue the straw men in his head, because so rarely does one get to see a true culture of free speech in action. We knew that college was a place for unorthodox people with odd and potentially offensive ideas, and most of us understood that the norms that protected his speech protected ours too. I'm glad I went to college before college got boring.