Harvard Profs Endorse ‘Freedom of Expression’ in Statement
Fallout from Middlebury.
This is nice to hear but why do we even need statements like this? Shouldn’t it just be a given?
The Harvard Crimson reported:
Harvard Professors Sign Statement Endorsing ‘Freedom of Expression’
Eleven Harvard professors and one fellow have signed a statement affirming a commitment to engaging with—and opposing efforts to “silence”—those with opposing views.
The statement, entitled “Truth Seeking, Democracy, and Freedom of Thought and Expression” is co-authored by African and African-American Studies Professor Cornel West and Robert P. George, a Princeton professor. It was published on the program’s website on March 14, and over 600 professors, students, and college affiliates have signed the statement as of Sunday.
“The pursuit of knowledge and the maintenance of a free and democratic society require the cultivation and practice of the virtues of intellectual humility, openness of mind, and, above all, love of truth,” the statement reads.“That’s why all of us should seek respectfully to engage with people who challenge our views. And we should oppose efforts to silence those with whom we disagree—especially on college and university campuses,” it continues.
Although the statement does not mention any one institution or incident, its publication follows a recent highly-publicized confrontation between Middlebury College students and controversial social scientist Charles Murray. Student protesters repeatedly disupted Murray, who had been invited by a conservative student group, pulling fire alarms during his talk, throwing objects at his car when he left, and ultimately injuring a Middlebury professor accompanying Murray.
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Comments
Only tangentially related, but I was thinking about how the schools impose a hardship on conservative groups by charging them for extra security fees because the liberal/progressives will riot against their speakers. I suggest that assess the fees evenly over all the recognized groups at the school. This accomplishes several things: the sponsoring group is will not have to pay the whole fee, the opposition group(s) will end up paying part of the fee, and the neutral groups will get tired of paying the fees and start complaining to the administration to shut these agitators down.