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The latest manifestation of the conservative targetting of academia is the Professor Watchlist, created by the "activist organization" Turning Point USA, founded by rising star Charlie Kirk. It's stated purpose is to "watch" professors "who discriminate against conservative students and advance leftist propaganda in the classroom"
Of course, this is not new. David Horowitz has written a book called The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America . HeterodoxAcademy.org has rational articles discussing the liberal slant to modern college campuses. Nicholas Kristoff writes an interesting piece on the same topic. However, with the election of President Trump, the stakes may have been raised. A professor in California has gone incognitio after criticizing Trump in the classroom and receiving death threats.
But more important is how the attempt to blacklist liberal academics has actually backfired. George Yancy [not the George Yancey from the Kristoff piece above] published a response, "I Am a Dangerous Professor" in the New York Times, and since then it seems to have become de rigueur for all academics to get their name on the Professor Watchlist in order to cement their tenure. An entire hashtag on Twitter has taken form: #trollprofwatchlist! People have taken to mocking the list by suggesting candidates such as Thomas Jefferson, Gandhi, and Jesus, not to mention Socrates, who obviously belongs.
Charlie Kirk may not be dangerous, but he did start this list. I am watching him now.
[Editor note - This story was substantially rewritten for balance. As always, the original submission is available at the link below.]
(Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 20 2016, @02:57PM
Ding ding ding! The term"SJW" has used rendering the above post null and void. Please try again with a coherent and rational argument.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Tuesday December 20 2016, @03:23PM
Yeah, I'm starting to feel the same way about "safe spaces" as well. I'm sure the concept is rooted in reality, and maybe some rare people of a radical leaning do try to enforce such things[1] but the idea that everybody who is even vaguely left-of centre is running around shouting "SAFE SPACE SAFE SPACE TRIGGER WORD" at every opportunity in lieu of having a good argument is starting to sound like so much hysterical right-wing deflection/ projection.
[1] I'd also argue that in some contexts a "safe space" might be appropriate - for example a rape counselling centre or something like that. I don't know enough about rape counselling to say for sure, but it doesn't sound unreasonable.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 20 2016, @03:23PM
Ding ding ding! The term"SJW" has used rendering the above post null and void. Please try again with a coherent and rational argument.
The specific wording does not invalidate the validity of a point. Please take your own advise.
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 20 2016, @03:27PM
Fuck off you ignorant fascist cunt. And die in a fire while you're at it. Or gunfire from fellow red-blooded patriots exercising their "rights."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 20 2016, @04:12PM
You really should stop talking with that strawman of yours. It's not healthy.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 20 2016, @10:30PM
I said fuck off.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 20 2016, @03:53PM
Your reaction does a better job of making his argument than he does. Think about that a while.