Return of the Blacklist: The Left Shuts Down Free Speech
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
It was only a matter of time. Mimicking what leftists themselves might call McCarthyism, the left is demanding a blacklist of those who oppose its political ideology. Dani Rodrik, professor of international political economy at that bastion of leftism, Harvard University, has urged the academic world to stop offering jobs or honors to anyone who has served in the Trump administration. This ought not to come as a surprise. It reflects what author Mark Levin calls "the fascist, totalitarian mindset that is modern academia."
Rodrik insists that universities "should uphold both free inquiry and the values of liberal democracy." Then, in a clear demonstration of leftist hypocrisy, he insults those values by demanding that Trump's supporters be placed on a blacklist. They should be prohibited, he says, from receiving "even a semblance of honor or recognition" from "the gatekeepers of higher learning."
Rodrik, who advocates income redistribution and opposes the free market system, accuses Trump of running an "odious presidency." "We do not, after all, have a normal administration that can be served honorably[.] ... Those who serve with him are necessarily tainted by the experience." No exceptions. "Having served in this 'odious' administration," reports HotAir.com, "you should now be barred for life from any form of service in academia."
Like its fellow travelers the New York Times and the Democratic Party, Harvard has lost its credibility. These organs of the left have one thing in common: they are against free speech. In spite of Rodrik's phony defense of "free inquiry," try to get hired at Harvard if you espouse conservative ideas. A respected poll has pegged liberal faculty at four-year colleges and universities at 87 percent. Another study identified Democrats to Republicans in journalism departments of 1,500 universities at 20-1, and a whopping 33.5-1 in history departments. Today's college campuses have become fueling stations for the left.
How did this happen? According to Ben Shapiro, author of Bullies , college administrators decided in the 1960s that it was "easier to appease rampaging leftist students than to deal with them. They came to an agreement with the wildebeests: stop taking over the buildings and locking the doors, and we'll start teaching you about how America sucks." Gradually, that translated into liberalism becoming a prerequisite for getting hired. Many campuses require new faculty members to sign a diversity statement. "What diversity oaths seek," says Walter E. Williams, professor of economics at George Mason University, "is to maintain political conformity among the faculty indoctrinating our impressionable, intellectually immature young people. The last thing that diversity hustlers want," Williams concludes, "is diversity in ideas."
Intellectual freedom on campus is flirting with extinction. When I attended college, students demanded more freedom of expression. Today's students, says Scott Greer in No Campus for White Men , demand less freedom and actually want to limit free expression. Political correctness on campus is giving rise to a new generation poised to throw free speech out the window. Activists believe that free speech is their exclusive province. Contrary opinions are oppressive and labeled hate speech. "Campus leftists," says Greer, "are able to suppress all dissenting speech for the supposed good of mankind."
Academia has "invented a labyrinth of anti-free speech tools," says political commentator Kirsten Powers, that are "weapons to silence anyone who expresses a view that deviates from the left's worldview or ideology." George Orwell warned about this problem in Nineteen Eighty-Four . The U.S. experienced a taste of it in the 1950s as Joseph McCarthy tried to shut down communists in the upper echelons of American society. Now the left is getting revenge by attempting to silence the right.
Because Harvard wields a great deal of influence, Rodrik's proposal will be taken seriously by other campuses around the country – most of which are controlled by the left. What can be done to prevent an intercollegiate blacklist? David Horowitz, author of Big Agenda , urges a campaign that will force universities to add "intellectual and political diversity" into their mission statements. This might compel them to hire conservative professors for a long overdue change.
The alternative is a disturbing view of the possible social and political discourse in America's future. If academia imposes a blacklist on conservatives, will the corporate world and government agencies be next? The kids marching today to shut down Trump-supporters or anyone else they don't like, says Scott Greer, could well be the senators, judges, and newspaper editors of tomorrow. "Give me four years to teach the children," said Lenin, "and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted."
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Never ceases to amaze me that every time trump is accused of something, an article accusing, "the left" of the exact same thing pops up here. It's literally another, "I know you are but what am I" article.
Trump just pulled the security clearance of Brennan, literally for NO OTHER REASON than Brennan exercised his first amendment rights to criticize the POTUS. Trump is a child who attacks anyone that doesn't kiss is ass. It really is that simple. The left is attacking free speech? Newp, nice try though.
Brennan is a hack that didn't deserve the clearance in the first place.
And flynn does deserve his? You're joking, right?
The left has now decided that Brennan is a hero because he opposes Trump, yet 5 years ago they called him a war criminal
By Nominating John Brennan, Obama Is Ignoring War Crimes
Brennan directed the CIA to hack into the Senate Intelligence Committee and then lied under oath about it
“Senator Mark Udall, Democrat of Colorado and another member of the Intelligence Committee, demanded Mr. Brennan’s resignation. “The C.I.A. unconstitutionally spied on Congress by hacking into the Senate Intelligence Committee computers,” he said in a written statement. “This grave misconduct not only is illegal but it violates the U.S. Constitution’s requirement of separation of powers.”
MoveOn.org called for both Brennan andClapper to be fired for their crimes including lying under oath to Congress
How so? You did know that badmouthing the potus doesn't me they are traitors...right? I mean if that was the case, the entire GOP would be in prison for bashing Obama for literally everything.
And has accomplished far more in life that you could ever dream....
And his crime was what? ( deleted )
it's the eternal "persecuted victim" syndrome affecting many conservative minded people - especially religious conservative minded people
I know a few people celebrating the censorship... and at the same time screaming they are worried about censorship of their views with net neutrality going and ISPs having that ability.
Apparently "it's a private business and can censor what they want" only applies to views they don't like
Two different issues my friend. Shithead Jones is being cut off for violations of TOS, the other is an issue of whether or not internet providers are highways or toll roads.
Absolutely not separate issues. They are both instances of private companies choosing what to allow on their platform. ISPs are private companies like it or not. They can then choose to not allow sights that are critical of them or anyone they so choose. They can throttle the traffic to any sites they don't like based on THEIR TOS.
You just are trying to cherry pick when a private company can do what they want
Edit. Whew lad those spelling errors. On putin bay relaxing with woodford and spellcheck can't keep up with it
In fact it's not just academia but a far broader phenomenon. Apparently very few employers want to hire anyone who was associated with the vile Trump regime in any way. It also explains why Trump can only find bottom of the barrel attorneys to represent him. No ethical or smart person wants to be associated with Trump.
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And apparently no one wants to have sex with Trump staffers.
Lie speech is not free speech. In my opinion, Lie Speech with intent is undeserving of First Amendment protections.
Look at it this way. If Lie Speech was punishable by prison terms, the noise from 'some sectors' would be silence.
Unfortunately Faux News won the legal right to lie to the public some time ago.....I think it was in a Florida court and concerned a BgH story.
It must be very frustrating for bigoted right wingers that no private company wants to be used to spread their hate speech or their idiotic conspiracy theories, eh?
The entire corporate world must be a vast left wing conspiracy!
... and once again, HA proves that he does not know what "free speech" means
He also doesn't seem to know the difference between censorship and a violation of the terms of service.
Apparently the GOP leadership is also too dumb to know the difference.
so private companies and websites like these should have no right to have TOS or to be able to punish someone for violating their TOS ? I thought the conservative minded were all about capitalism ? can't they just go to another site or platform and post their material on there instead ?
Isn't that fucking hilarious? Supposedly small minded and pro free market conservatives are actually advocating for government control over the media as far as what their content is?
The US government has shut down free speech? But I thought all 3 branches were controlled by the GOP and conservatives?