The Ford Foundation is funding “Difficult Dialogues” on race, sex and religion on college campuses. Charlotte Hayes, writing in Opinion Journal, is dubious:
What if a Difficult Dialogues participant says something like, “I haven’t noticed curbs on academic freedom”? Then the dialogue might really be difficult.
Who wants to discuss same-sex relationships or religious differences with total strangers, Hayes asks.
One imagines that participants here are self-selected–those who plan to go on at length about various forms of oppression they may have endured and those who enjoy being on the receiving end of such flagellation. If anyone departs from either of those assigned roles, a shouting match will most likely ensue.
The program was created “in response to reports of growing intolerance and efforts to curb academic freedom at colleges and universities,” says the press release.
The program was created “in response to reports of growing intolerance and efforts to curb academic freedom at colleges and universities,” says the press release.
Does this program address intolerance of non-leftoid thought? Or curbs imposed by PC regulators?
When any of the conservative hypocrites bleating about freedom get around to denouncing Bush for his illegal warrantless spying on American citizens, I’ll start to take them seriously.
Whenever you hear that someone wants to begin a dialogue what they mean is they want an audience.
Thanks, Steve.
You do realise that all you’re doing is confirming a stereotype, right? While displaying partisan blinders at least as rigid as those you decry in others, hmm?
No, I imagine you don’t realise that, sadly - or you wouldn’t be doing it.
Maybe being told you’re doing it, politely, will help, though I doubt it.
Nonsense. There have, in fact, been honorable conservative individuals and organizations- the Cato Institute and former Rep. Bob Barr, to name two- who have denounced the spying, and I salute them for it, but they are far too few. If you’re sincere, why not join them instead of talking rot? If you claim to care about freedom, but you give Bush a free pass on this, you’re a hypocrite. Deal with it.