Eugene, Ore. - When I began examining the political affiliation of faculty at the University of Oregon, the lone conservative professor I spoke with cautioned that I would "make a lot of people unhappy."
Though I mostly brushed off his warning – assuming that academia would be interested in such discourse – I was careful to frame my research for a column for the school newspaper diplomatically.
The University of Oregon (UO), where I study journalism, invested millions annually in a diversity program that explicitly included "political affiliation" as a component. Yet, out of the 111 registered Oregon voters in the departments of journalism, law, political science, economics, and sociology, there were only two registered Republicans.
A number of conservative students told me they felt Republican ideas were frequently caricatured and rarely presented fairly. Did the dearth of conservative professors on campus and apparent marginalization of ideas on the right belie the university's commitment to providing a marketplace of ideas?
The left is not interested in the diversity of ideas; their views cannot withstand scrutiny. That's why if you don't believe in anthropogenic global warming you're a "denier", if you don't support affirmative action you're a "racist", and if you don't support socialism you're "greedy". All of these terms are designed to stop debate and shame the possessor. Ever heard of any societies that use/used these tactics? Anyone? Are they what we would call free societies?
2 comments:
Unfortunately, that is true. The Left is only interested of diversity of their own narrow set of ideas. To introduce other ideas creates a type of chaos they can't control. And when you lose control, you lose power. Still, I contend that state schools have more room for diversity than private schools. My own alma mater, a private Methodist school, has become a hotbed of political intrigue as theologians promote political agendas and professors are seated based on litmus tests. That's why they get no money from me. At least state schools at some level have to answer to the taxpayers. Now if taxpayers would start looking at the faculty rather than the athletic stats, we would get some leverage in diverse education.
Republicans are just as bad; there are just fewer of them. Can't anyone examine an issue on its merits anymore? Party affiliation is irrelevant, except for those too stupid to form their own opinions. Sean Hannity, anyone?
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