Reply to College alumni groups spread nationally to counter ‘cancel culture’ (WaPo)

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Summary: Old, white guys with money forms groups to get colleges to go back to giving their “born on third” kids a place to mess around for four years before their use their connections to get executive jobs.

If you believe the name they give their group, you’re not paying attention. You think their work might help your middle class white kid, but they are as much against your kid getting a leg up as they are against minority groups. They want power and opportunity for their wealthy, white kids and no others. 
[/quote]

Oh, BS.  Many of those most involved in these organizations are immigrants and college graduates who grew up decidedly middle class.

It's about the divide between those who believe that free speech should be paramount, even if that allows people with a bigger soapbox to argue against equity, and those who believe that equity should be paramount, even if that entails the censorship or de-platforming of opposing views.  [/quote]

The W&L example says the people want to preserve General Lee’s legacy.

They’re hoping people assume they’re coming from a good place with the whole free speech thing, but they basically seem upset that people like Lee and Jefferson are seen with more real glasses today than with the rose-colored ones we had when we were kids.

Don’t be fooled. They aren’t about free speech. That’s their cover. [/quote]

Fair point about W&L but U of C professor Dorian Abbot being disinvited from giving a scientific lecture at MIT because he publicly opposes DEI initiatives is appalling. [/quote]

It’s not, actually.  Research and science in general suffer enormously from the bias in science.  Universities and labs are increasingly realize that science is stunted by the old boys club. [/quote]

Please explain how Mr. Abbot's research in planetary science been affected by bias. [/quote]

Does his research require him to publicly oppose DEI initiatives?
[/quote]

Of course not. But that's the point. His opinions on DEI have *nothing* to do with his expertise in his field. So canceling his presentation on his scientific research because of his political beliefs is about punishing him for his thoughtcrimes. Let me be clear, I support DEI initiatives. But I also value academic freedom. [/quote]

That's not really "academic freedom" though. Maybe he should leave his politics out of the workplace. 
[/quote]

Of course it is about academic freedom & the spirit of free inquiry if he is being prevented from presenting his scientific research because he wrote an op ed arguing that DEI is antithetical to the principles of equality and undermines the public trust in universities (his contentions, not mine). This is the equivalent of punishing professors in the 1950s for alleged communist leanings. [/quote]

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