Friends, there can be little doubt that much of America is going bonkers. The idea that our country is fundamentally racist, that the Trump administration is fundamentally fascist, that capitalism is fundamentally oppressive and unfair, that criminals are victims and police are thugs, and that COVID-19 is the most horrifying and chilling threat to public health in history, or even at the moment -- these are notions that only a diseased or a highly deluded mind could sustain. And yet...here we are.
I recommend this article to you, which argues convincingly that, at the root of many of these delusions lies academia. Peter Wood suggests that, far from defunding the police, we ought to be defunding ivory tower Marxists. Of course, that will never happen on an institutional basis, but if we conservatives can find alternatives to the leftist indoctrination provided in most "liberal arts" colleges, surely our country would be better off. He suggests that we stop donating to our alma maters, if those institutions have long ago stopped respecting our values. Hear hear! He suggests that we encourage our children and grandchildren to find alternative sources of learning and to eschew higher ed, as much as they are able. Why not? He suggests that, to the extent that conservatives hold sway over higher ed budgets, especially at the state level, we should consider cutting off funds to institutions that persecute patriots, Christians, police, white people, men, or anyone inclined to dispute the accuracy of academia's crypto-Marxist orthodoxy. I agree.
As a professor myself, I realize that the tough times that lie ahead for higher education may negatively impact me. So be it. Mr. Wood is right that the cancer of leftism that is spread, first and foremost, by "educators" is the greatest single threat to the future of America, of our democracy, and of our civilization. We need not accept left-wing profs as a force of nature, nor must we cede academia to the Left for all time. In the long run, either we must wrest control of academia back and put it in responsible hands, or we must knock down the current edifice of higher ed and start over. It may take decades, or it may take centuries, but the future of mankind is at stake, and therefore we dare not shrink from the challenge.
https://spectator.us/defund-colleges-not-cops/#
C'mon, Dr. Waddy. This article is trash. There are generalities throughout the article, where the only evidence presented by Peter Wood (president of the right wing National Association of Scholars) are statements put out in the wake of the George Floyd shooting -- an event that has refocused attention on racial inequities in society.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, for a supposed scholar such as Wood, this was a weak, poorly supported argument.
Beyond that, if the right is so concerned about the "left" in academe, then start entering the profession and change the things you perceive as faulty.
Professor Carveth
DeleteGlad to see you back on this blog. At least you will provide another point of view to break up the monotony of the comments being posted to date. I also teach college classes, history in my case. I would appreciate it if you would explain your ideological position with regard to whatever courses you teach. Are you to the Left of the political spectrum, and if so, how far? I believe that is a fair question if there is to be any dialogue between us in the future, which I certainly hope there will be.
Thank you.
Ray, I am a registered Libertarian -- the Northeast variety (which is more or less a Rockefeller Republican). In other words, I am to the right on fiscal policy and to the left on social policy. As far as classes, I primarily teach courses in strategic communication and professional communication, so a lot of it involves strategy and tactics rather than political ideology. Most of my colleagues are left of center. A couple are right of center. One is pretty far left. That faculty member is the only one who clearly brings ideology into the classroom. I assume most faculty, including myself, bring certain biases into the classroom, though in more subtle and nuanced ways than conservative critics will charge.
DeleteInterestingly, the research on "indoctrination" of students suggests that if academe is out to turn out leftists, they are doing a terrible job at it. Research comparing students coming in as freshmen and leaving as seniors demonstrate a very slight movement to more liberal positions on various social issues.
I hope that fills you in about my leanings.
Rod
Thanks Rod. Best of luck to you.
DeleteRay
Dr. Waddy: "Defund the colleges"; a succinct and very constructive call to action. I approached a very powerful state legislator to try to have my college ,SUNY New Paltz, done financial penalty for its open leftist bigotry and contempt for any who question its manifest biases. That legislator sympathized, I know, but could not get it done. It will take a mass movement to focus deserved discredit on the American academy leading to decisive remedial consequences for that so corrupted institution. "Universities" ? Hah; rather they are "reeducation camps" firmly in the totalitarian leftist tradition,replete with consummate, freely wielded sanctions for heresy and thoroughly imbued with casual insincerity.
ReplyDeleteDr, Waddy
ReplyDeleteI read the article, and of course it mentioned Howard Zinn, who is the "dean" of Leftist Historians. Always interesting that in the movie "Good Will Hunting" that Matt Damon gives Zinn's magnum opus "A People's History of The United States" a line or two. Regnery Publishing recently issued a book "Debunking Howard Zinn.." and of course Zinn has been criticized by historians on the right and left. But at least Zinn appears to be a true believer in Marxism, or at least it seems so.
Dr. Waddy: THe militant left would lack moral authority to attack a mass movement to discredit and disempower the leftist corrupted American academy in this dynamic present situation. After all,it has been presumptuous enough already to introduce tax payer mandated "arts"funding, which is presumably far from Al Sharpton's mind, into the fray. What's next pray? Adumbrated sesquipedalian antidisestablishmentarianism? The left could hardly accuse others of opportunism.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy et al: Its time to take it to the left and put it on the defensive and an attack on its cherished home base in the American "university" can do so. Our clarion call could be "Defund Commie colleges"! Oh and if leftists get "offended" by the use of that atavistic term they must be put in mind of their own misuse of terms like "racism","sexism" and the "wild card" - "fascism!". Commie and Nazi; same same yes? Ergo... .
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy et al: A liberal arts curriculum or college is plainly a waste of time for alot of people. Of course "free college" leftists like Bernie and Cuomo want everyone to go in order to get ahold of their minds. Most vocational schools and curricula are probably free of leftist indoctrination and that would explain the disdain the illuminati often direct to them even in the breach.
ReplyDeleteNo, we should identify the egregiously presumptuous openly leftist institutions, especially in otherwise conservative state where legislatures, if properly motivated and mobilized, could put the fear of God in them. Hit 'em where it hurts, in the pocketbook. "Defund Commie colleges"; its an idea for this time, right now!
Jack, do you get information about colleges from any source other than Fox News, OANN, Breitbart or Dinesh D'Souza?
ReplyDeleteFor one thing, a liberal arts curriculum is very valuable in terms of teaching people history (about which Americans are incredibly lacking knowledge in) and critical thinking skills. I know a lot of HR professionals who would prefer students who can write, speak, meet deadlines and work as part of a team to those who are masters of the jargon of their jobs.
For another, a faculty member who is liberal is not the same as one who is "a commie." The most liberal faculty I know would prefer to see the U.S. have a system that looks more like Denmark or Sweden than the current political economy that we have now. Most of my colleagues are supporters of capitalism who lean to being liberal on social issues (some are more conservative). So, if you are going to try and defund "Commie colleges," you are not going to find any.
Rod,
DeleteI don't think the United States is going to see a system similar to Denmark of Sweden any time soon. For one thing, those countries are a lot more homogenous than we are, linguistically, ethnically, racially and so on. They say they are not racist and whatnot, but the immigration of non-Swedes and Danes is not working out as well as they would like.
In any event, no multiethnic or multiracial nation in history ever worked out very well, although lots of historians would have us believe that the Ottoman Empire did. Ha!
All that aside, and on a positive note, the late Ronald Takaki, an American Multicultural Historian once said that in the 21st Century, all Americans would become minorities.
Hi, Ray. I wasn't advocating or even proposing that the U.S. become Denmark or Sweden. What I was saying is that my more liberal colleagues would prefer such a system.
DeleteWhile I find some things attractive from those countries, we are just too big and too diverse to adopt their systems.
As for immigration issues in those countries, there has been a right-wing populism (with a scary number of neo-Nazis) in Europe growing for the last 20 years that has fueled some of those flames, often by promoting conspiracy theories (such as with the death of Tommie Lindh). It will be interested to see what the 2022 Swedish national election brings, particularly after the coronavirus experiment.
Rod: Thank you for your comments. My two kids were academically inclined and so I encouraged them to pursue liberal arts courses as undergraduates. I'm glad they did and I fully expected them to, as they did, move on to graduate and professional schools. But their undergraduate experiences at NYU and U of Rochester were followed by very definite leftist beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree Rod, a liberal arts education is vital in developing a lithe and creditable intellect. That is why I encouraged my kids to acquire that which would afford them this lifelong advantage.
But I perceive that that outlook has been hijacked in the U.S. by purposeful leftist bigots with completely totalitarian intentions. You cite, with credit, Scandinavia, but I would argue that their experience is in a rarified atmosphere free of many of the complications inherent in the U.S..
Rod: And I have the testimony of Dr. Waddy, an esconsed academic, that the American academy is so condemned and I do cleave to it.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to attend "hard core, right-wing", religious colleges. try Christendom College in Virginia (Catholic), and Patrick Henry (Protestant), also in Virginia. I understand that Liberty College in Virginia tends to be conservative. (If you like religious satire, try a website called "Landover Baptist" by a former Liberty student I believe, who mocks religion in general). Of course there are other colleges with affiliations to various Christian denominations all over the country. If you like sparsely populated areas, Wyoming Catholic College comes to mind. Hillsdale College in Michigan is, as I recall, still a bastion of conservatism.
ReplyDeleteRay: What really burns me though is what we have in NY with SUNY: thoroughly biased left wing institutions which all NY taxpayers are forced to pay for ( with now even, free tuition but not free Professors or groundskeepers).This is the result of leftist power freely and presumptuously wielded with consummate contempt for the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers for whom these views are anathema. Cuomo and his cadre would afford no other minority such disdain.And it is of course utterly contrary to the academic freedom and free enquiry which define academic integrity. Its wrong and it must be confronted!
ReplyDeleteJack,
DeleteLook at it this way. I'll bet you that there is at least one person like Dr. Waddy teaching history at every college and university in these United States. So there is hope, don't you think?
Rod is certainly right -- more conservatives need to enter academia. It's a powerful set of institutions, and therefore we can't afford to cede it permanently. And he may also be right that Wood's article was short on proof, but I think plenty of evidence has surfaced already of the steady drift of the academy into more and more leftist hands, as well as of the gradual closing of the intelligencia's collective mind. Naturally Rod isn't alarmed by any of this. We who think differently would be foolish to be anything BUT alarmed.
ReplyDeleteRod may also be right that higher ed produces only a "slight" turn to the left in most students. That's a sign of their powers of critical thinking, I suppose, but it may also be a sign of how far left they've traveled before they even reach higher ed. The "indoctrination" in our public schools is no less naked or extreme, from the conservative perspective.
Ray, it's instructive how Howard Zinn's ramblings were once far out on the fringes of left-leaning discourse. Now dissent with most of his assumptions wouldn't even be allowed. To question the primacy of slavery and anti-black racism in American history, for instance, would be to risk offending black students. Such a perspective is literally unthinkable to many professors and higher ed administrators. Failure to endorse the doctrine of white privilege is, in their view, THE SAME THING as endorsing white supremacy. Voting for Trump is THE SAME THING as endorsing Nazism and the KKK. How does one begin a fruitful conversation with someone who thinks this way? One doesn't.
Jack, sadly, I have very little confidence that Republican state legislators will take on leftist intolerance on campus. They never have, in any meaningful sense. To even fire a warning shot would be to risk bring accused of "intolerance" oneself. But really, isn't that the new definition of intolerance: the failure to endorse intolerance? In much the same way, "racism" for the Left is the failure to endorse anti-white racism.
Be all that as it may, as Wood points out, the pandemic, which so many leftists have embraced with wild enthusiasm, is about to deliver a knockout punch to many institutions of higher learning. Will only the conservative-friendly colleges survive? Far from it, but we CAN expect that many left-wing academic sinecures will evaporate. That's something.
ReplyDeleteRod, I'm glad to hear that you find many of your colleagues fairly moderate, but since we can't be sure what counts as "moderate" for you (perhaps advocating the death penalty for only HALF the Trump family?), we'll have to reserve judgement...
Ray, it's true that we will all be "minorities" soon, but that isn't really much of a comfort, because white men have been in the minority all along, but that never stopped them from dominating American society...until recently. My fear is that whites, and white men, have been so thoroughly demonized by the Left that, once they/we can be EASILY outvoted and manhandled in a democratic system, it may be open season on us! Our Constitution was written to safeguard the rights of despised minorities. Well, we white male Christian conservatives increasingly fall into that category...but the Left is adamant that the Constitution says whatever they want it to say, and it protects only the "protected classes". Not a pretty picture.
Ray, you're right that the Christian colleges are somewhat less Marxist than their secular counterparts, but as we all know even establishment Christianity is being hijacked as we speak!
Jack: you may be interested to know that I learned today that the admin at Oswego has painted "Black Lives Matter" on one its thoroughfares. Can you imagine any other strident, intolerant, and often racist movement receiving a direct endorsement from college administrations nationwide? I sure can't.
Ray, I can guarantee you that there's not a SINGLE other history department in this great country with a history professor like me. I'm...peerless? Ha ha. There are a few conservative profs left fighting the good fight, though, and even more keeping their heads down and looking forward to retirement!
On a personal note, I'm very happy to see the three of you having such an open and respectful dialogue. Even the Rod Squad is welcome here at WaddyIsRight! Our door is always open. :)
I would not want the death penalty for half the Trump family. I am against the death penalty. ;)
DeleteBTW, Dr. Waddy. The research done on the "indoctrination" of students shows that high school students coming in average out to be moderate, so the results are not a restriction of range issue that you suggest.
ReplyDeleteBTW2, I am not sure how "leftist" high school teachers are. I was in college before I heard about "Emancipation Day" ("Juneteenth"), and graduate school before I heard about the atrocities in Wilmington, Rosewood and Tulsa. My college students are still unaware of ever hearing of these events (though perhaps they will know about Tulsa and Juneteenth after this summer). Part of the reason for this is that conservative states, such as TX, and conservative groups, such as NAS, force history textbooks to "whitewash" the content.
ReplyDeleteRod: Two other significant factors in the subjection of universities to leftist intolerance are leftist students, and administrators who are either honestly leftist (as products, most of them, of the 1965- American academy) or think it best that they give in to leftist intimidation. In New York, the very Governor leveled no criticism at SUNY Binghamton for tolerating the hounding of Arthur Laffer and his supporters off the campus by totalitarian student (presumably)brownshirts. This omission on the part of a man positively brimming with pedantic and histrionic leftist cant, speaks for itself. And this disdainful bigot commands our state university system. Its a very telling example of what Dr. Waddy laments.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy et al: Is there any public setting, any forum, any "university", aside from conservative environs, in which the terribly important issue of unconscionably high rates of actual COMMISSION of crime in so very many minority neighborhoods, can be broached without attracting reflexive, instinctive (often even physical) onslaught from the politically correct leucocytes? Failure to address this reality openly, frankly and courageously makes any chance of an equitable settlement of currently contested grievances impossible. And the fundamental totalitarian bigotry of the American left (which is demonstrably far closer to Mao than Sweden)just about guarantees that impasse.
ReplyDeleteSince we are on the subject of higher (and lower) education in The United States of America, I have found that most of the students in my college history classes (European and U.S. History) know very little about history in general. Although most of them have taken history courses in high school, they seem to have forgotten most of what they learned, and I'm talking about students who have not been out of high school all that long. This includes students from all races, most of who are not history majors by the way. Ha!
ReplyDeleteI have seen all sorts of textbooks for Western Civilization and U.S. History courses, and there are lots and lots of them, including all those I have not yet seen. And guess what? You got it, almost all of them present conflicting/contradictory information on various historical events. Some are poorly written, in my opinion, and by people who should know better who have graduated from so called prestigious colleges and universities. In many cases the content has been dumbed down to accommodate the "abilities" of students who can't even write a term paper or give a presentation very well.
As far as "white washing" history, all countries do it. Turkey is a good example of this, where professors can not talk about the massacres of Armenians perpetrated by the Ottoman government during World War 1. In fact, visiting professors from say the U.S. have to sign an agreement stating that they will not mention this either. So, all countries white wash history because a lot of it is embarrassing.
Finally, one has to ask to what degree foreign governments have injected themselves into our institutions of so called "higher learning" for whatever reason. Also, U.S. History as taught in various countries around the globe is not the same as anything we may or may not teach in our own schools, and again what we teach is confusing.
Finally, in this country we are constantly getting pressured in our schools (at all levels) to include the history of other races (besides White) in our history courses. Okay, fair enough, but how far does this have to go before we start telling lies about the contribution of this group or that group. The fact remains that The Constitution of The United States of America was written by a bunch of rich White men, and not by the ancestors of Al Sharpton. So when are Mount Vernon, Monticello, and the Washington monument (to name a few landmarks) scheduled for demolition by BLM?
Ray: One thing is for sure: leftist asserted history (eg. the 1619 Project) is baldly slanted and biased, every bit as much as any other instance of compromised history (and as you point out, that can come from a myriad of sources). Some countries sincerely believe, for some credible though maybe not creditable reasons that certain history must be ignored or repressed for the overall better in their cultures. But the left justifies its pronunciamentos in a far more convenient and totalitarian manner. They pronounce and it automatically becomes unassailable and if you are insolent enough to question it in any manner, you are morally bereft and all manner of restraint and disdain against you is encouraged.
ReplyDeleteMarxists have ALWAYS been like that with their interpretation of history! But there is also a large group of historians who are NOT Marxists (real or imagined) who have a strong bias regarding a Christian perspective of history, for example.
DeleteDr. Waddy et al: It may be a bit of digression but good conversation sometimes generates it: the Mayor of Buffalo today publicly announced certain administrative measures, mostly at the expense of the police, to"lessen the occurence of police-citizen contact". Gee Mr. Mayor, I can think of a FAR more effective measure yielding the same if not certainly better results: STOP DOING CRIME! I've heard this: "oh yes, George Floyd had a record and was resisting arrest but he didn't deserve execution" That's certain but it (perhaps purposefully) ignores a salient point: sans criminal involvement he might never have come into contact with the police in the first place and it might not have intensified as it did without lawless resistance. And if reduction of that possibility is endorsed by liberals like the Mayor of Buffalo, well. . . .
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy: In rereading your article I am reminded of your suggestion that alumni be bade restraint in making contributions due to their schools' having surrendered to leftist bigotry and vindictiveness. I would guess most big contributors are older, more successful people. Perhaps alot of them don't know how bizarre it has gotten on many campuses, many of them , unforgiveably, taxpayer supported,which have become disgraceful swamps of radical tyranny providing foundations in totalitarian thinking for our young. Maybe a conservative Michael Bloomburg can be motivated to devote enormous resources to righting this wrong. Maybe we can get Fox to talk about this more and get the word out to the real America, so much of which didn't go to college and may not be aware of how very much they are despised by the prevalent strain of "thought" in American "universities". For so many towns, that good old school so much a part of your community is training those who would destroy everything you value They've already done it on their campuses, which are degraded beyond measure (eg. as you pointed out in SUNY Oswego's latest pronunciamento of prejudice). People in that area ought to contact their state legislators and howl.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy: Why "I am in so far (in politically incorrect blasphemy)that sin will pluck on sin". Therefore I am blithe to note the following: I read today that many colleges and universities are in very serious financial straits due to the shut down. This then, is the time to take them to task (those which deserve it or in general and let the honorable ones declare themselves) for their manifest and contemptible surrender to leftist totalitarianism and strive to compound their financial woes (especially for those consummately presumptuous leftist state institutions). Hit 'em while they are down I say. Ruthless? Nah! When one considers the savagery and thoroughly destructive intent of their 50 year onslaught on our culture and polity and its present obviously coordinated (hopefully, for them, decisive)offensive, it is obvious that they are playing for keeps AND SO MUST WE! Seize the moment; their flank is exposed because funding is ALL to them. Many of these administrators would support anyone and anything which provides them the same and should they find backbone in public resistance to their spineless surrender to undergraduate brats, a turn to academic integrity could be effected.
ReplyDeleteRod: In having reread your comments I wonder: why is the colleague you describe as pretty far left and who does bring ideology into the classroom tolerated by your faculty and administration. If he or she has not been taken to task for it does it not, together with what you describe as a leftist tendency in most your colleagues, strong support for a conclusion of leftist predominance on your campus. And present predominance does raise the distinct possibility of near future totalitarian control doesn't it since the far left is by definition so. I can just imagine what would happen if your school had an analogously far rightist employee, in any setting. What of it? I do respect your demonstrated courteous dialectical stance.
ReplyDeleteJack, the policy at my institution is that you have academic freedom to express opinions if they are related to course material. My colleague teaches courses in opinion journalism and media & race, so his comments are protected under the policy. If he was doing it in a math class, he might be under scrutiny.
DeleteIn addition, he generally teaches elective courses, so students self-select into his courses. He is a very popular teacher (and, having observed him, actually quite skilled) and rarely engenders any student complaints. Finally, he is a tenured full professor, so short of him forcing a student to have sex with him for a higher grade, nothing is going to happen to him.
Rod: Thanx. I understand that some schools have declared (and I trust have enforced) sincere support for true academic freedom. It appears your school may well be one of them. If you don't mind telling me, is it a state school? You mentioned having a couple of conservative colleagues; does generally courteous dialogue obtain between them and those of your peers who tend to the left? I know from experience that an employee lounge in which the majority disdains one's views can be an unredeeming and sometimes threatening experience.
ReplyDeleteHI Jack, yes, I am at a state school. As for my conservative colleagues, we all get along fine. Most of the time, we are discussing more important matters than politics, like family and sports. When we do talk politics, it's more state/local than national. Not everyone gets along perfectly with everyone else, but it works pretty darn well.
DeleteDR. WADDY
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your next article and topics of discussion. Please, let's move on.
In summary, as a college history teacher, as I am also, you know very well that there are left and right views in this area of academia.
I remember that my undergraduate days out on "The Left Coast" were filled with professors who had a decided Marxist view of history, and woe to the student who attempted to present a different point of view.
I recall one professor (very old at that time) whose life desire was to have fought in The Spanish Civil War, for the Republic of course. I will never forget how furious he was with me in class when I suggested that maybe there were some good reasons why the right in Spain took up arms in 1936. I got a C in his course because of this, and I was a beginning history major. Should have kept my mouth shut.
And yet he had never been to Spain, never. And this was after Franco had died, and Spain was well on its way to becoming left again.
ANYWAY, please move on to other subjects.
It is safe to say that the Marxist view of history is alive and well in colleges and universities, and that unless you go to a private conservative college, the Left view of history is what you are going to have shoved down your throat, for the most part.
Dr. WaddY et al: I know how that is; in library school I had a Prof who emphasized that he wanted us to talk. So I did,only he didn't like what I said , nor did many of my classmates (eg. I argued that public objection to the acquisition of certain works for public or public school libraries should not be dismissed as philistine ignorance, as the school plainly encouraged us to do) 'nuff said for my part.
DeleteRod, I have to say that I'm skeptical of the supposed rise of neo-Nazis and white supremacists in the U.S. and the E.U. They get a ton of coverage, sure, but how many of them actually exist, and how many crimes against minorities are perpetrated by such misfits? What is the evidence that this activity is "increasing", except that the anti-racism industry and the media would like to pretend that it is? Moreover, what is the prevalence of left-wing hate groups? We know about Antifa and BLM, only because they're too big for the media to ignore (and the media HAS tried to ignore both, at different times). We don't know about many other leftist extremist organizations, for the obvious reason that the media has no interest in them. Even the SPLC admits that one of the most common forms of "hate groups" in this country is black separatists: https://www.splcenter.org/hate-map?ideology=black-separatist But we never hear about these groups in the media. Surprise surprise!
ReplyDeleteSo, Rod, you're against the death penalty. Fair enough. I personally support it 110%! In fact, it probably wouldn't hurt if we applied the death penalty universally and preemptively. That is, let's just schedule everyone's execution, and put the burden on each of us to prove that we're worthy of life... What could go wrong?
So students graduate from high school as "moderates", do they? Then why does the overwhelming majority of young people vote for Democrats? Doesn't sound very "moderate" to me...
Rod, I myself was unaware of Juneteenth until recently. To be honest, I fear that, by the time we invent a new holiday to "celebrate" every minority group, and/or to mourn every instance of white male beastliness, we'll have as many days off as the Catholics have saint days. Perhaps we'll go to work just five days a year... On second thought, that might not be so bad.
Jack, you're right that the dysfunctionality that is rife in many poor, minority communities is strictly off limits for discussion on many campuses...unless of course one is delivering a polemic on why white people are responsible for said dysfunction. That's still allowed. Encouraged, even.
Ray is right that all nations, and all ideological movements, "whitewash" history. How could it be otherwise? The whole thrust of "woke" history is to condemn white people and to "celebrate" members of "protected classes"? Thus, the misdeeds of people of color, women, homosexuals, et al. MUST be ignored or suppressed. After all, a historical analysis (or a news report) that discussed a black man being violent would, even if true, feed a "false" and racist narrative, no? History is always a battleground. Now more than ever?
Dr. Waddy. Two comments. First, Black Lives Matter is not a black separatist group.
DeleteSecond, the overwhelming majority of young people don't vote for Democratic candidates. The overwhelming majority don't vote. I suspect that the low turnout among younger voters has to do with conservative students just not voting in the same proportion as liberal and moderate ones. Today's young people are far less racist than in previous generations, far more supportive of human rights issues, such as gay marriage, and far more concerned about the environment. When you have a party, like the GOP, that comes across as less tolerant on those issues, then those students have far less motivation to vote for Republican candidates.
Ray, your experience with textbooks is interesting, especially since I wrote my own. I did indeed "dumb it down," assuming that current students have a very weak background in history, little interest in it, and not much ability either. Frankly, I haven't seen anything in the classroom to change my mind.
ReplyDeleteJack, you're right that many affluent graduates of elite (and ordinary) universities probably don't know what hotbeds of Marxism their alma maters have become. We should educate them!!! Fox News, it seems to me, does a pretty good job of covering wackiness on campus. There's so much great fodder there...
Jack, I support your suggestion that, in effect, any "bailouts" of higher ed should be conditioned on a turn to the political center, or at least a cessation of persecution of the right. Hear hear!
Ray, I'm sorry to hear that you were penalized academically for failing to tow the line of your Marxist professor. Daydreaming about fighting in the Spanish Civil War does mark him as an extremist. I trust he retired to Venezuela, where all his dreams could come true?
Hot damn -- 35 comments! Seems that you three crossed swords until all of you fell in a heap out of sheer exhaustion. Wonderful! Let's keep the momentum going in future posts. :)
Rod, you're right that young people are pro-gay marriage, terrified of global warming, and vehemently "anti-racist" (which often means anti-white). Ergo, they're not "moderate", because a moderate, more or less by definition, would be fairly equally disposed to vote for either of the two main parties. Most young people may not be Dems, but they're left-leaning, for sure.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy. I think your reply mischaracterizes the situation. Being pro-gay marriage is not a liberal position. It is being supportive of a human right to marry who you love. Young people can't understand why anyone would object to that. They are rightly terrified of global warming, which means that they believe in science, not that they are liberal. They are anti-racist because most have grown up in more integrated schools and neighborhoods and realize that being racist is just wrong.
ReplyDeleteThe reason that what would be moderate students tending to vote more Democratic is that the GOP has been anti-gay marriage, anti-science and less vocal about decrying racism.
You know who can get more people to vote GOP -- candidates like Madison Cawthorne in NC. He holds conservative positions, but also communicates empathy for people less fortunate than he is -- something that he has criticized the GOP for not doing.
Rod: Conservatives support the well being of all who are willing to work for it. And we are convinced that today's America provides ample opportunity for advancement of all those willing to lead positive lives. The decisive acceptance of this belief is a fundamental threat to the livelihood of professional leftists and therefore invite's their consummate opposition. We know them for what they are and so does our President; bring them on!
ReplyDeleteRay, I guess what you're saying is that the Democratic Party is a "moderate" party, and the GOP is an extremist, reactionary party. If you start with that assumption, then sure -- young people today are super-moderate! Bully for them.
ReplyDeleteA "human right to marry who you love"? Then what explains the Left's abhorrence for polygamy... The Left doesn't believe in a free love free-for-all -- it believes in redefining sexuality in ways it likes, and redefining perversion as well. A man asks a woman out? Disgusting! Harassment! A man wears a dress and parades down the street? A profile in courage! I could deconstruct the leftist position on climate change and "anti-racism" (which should probably be called pro-racism instead), but you get the drift... We just don't see eye-to-eye on what's middle-of-the-road, reasonable, factual, or true. C'est la vie.
I don't know who Madison Cawthorne is, but I think history teaches us that the "compassionate conservatives" are no less despised by the Left than the unapologetic conservatives. Do you think MSNBC would stop spewing contempt for Republicans if our President was Rubio instead of Trump? I sure don't. Outrage is mass-produced on demand these days. Get used to it.
Where do I begin?
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy, Juneteeth is being taught at the University I just graduated from and I have to admit I had no idea what it was until I took a few classes on slavery. Now, mind you, I had wonderful professors, well, mainly wonderful professors. I had a couple professors who taught the Alinsky method and drank the Kool-aide. I often found myself not working the group setting. I had actually had to refer back to a mandated reading Rules for Radicals. It became emotionally draining. Personally, a person has to be very strong in their beliefs to even entertain college now. I would say to you and other Conservative Professors, keep up teaching the truth and I hope and pray you never tire of doing so. I like how you tested us and made us think outside the box. Most def. it was a different way of learning.
You don't know of Madison Cawthorne? I think that young man will be eaten a live by Washington DC ie the Swamp. I pray tell he won't be. He seems like he has a lot to offer.
Ok, Ray, I can move on...just thought I would add my 2 cents, grin.
Ah, so Cawthorn must be the young buck who just won a primary in NC? Yeah, I don't envy him wading into the swamp... Let's hope he doesn't drown in it.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I always try to keep my political views out of my teaching, but I must say I'm beginning to question whether that's the right call. For many students it might make a big difference to hear the Trumpian perspective articulated by someone who isn't, superficially at least, an inhuman monster... Maybe I should start to think of myself as a missionary rather than a professor?