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Harvard's response to federal government letter demanding changes

harvard.edu

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Re: Harvard's response to federal government letter demanding changes

#281

Post by settrans »

dclowd9901 wrote: post #191
nine_k wrote: post #152

The university, as a private institution, has every right to hold whatever views and enforce whatever policies it sees fit within itself. The government, on the other hand, has every right to put conditions its counterparty should conform to in order to get money from the government. It's best when the bargaining about such conditions happens with mutual respect and without overreach, but respect and sobriety are in…

Do we really believe there is a rooted undercurrent of antisemitism at Harvard of all places? Or is this just anti-zionist expansion straw manning? I'm sorry but the continuously faithless positioning of the Trump administration right now makes me believe the antisemitic accusations are a pretext.

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Re: Harvard's response to federal government letter demanding changes

#282

Post by areoform »

surge wrote: post #231
areoform wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not. The rubicon has already been crossed. If you asked some of the framers of the US constitution - beyond all other factors, unelected powers etc - what was the one defining trait of the government structure they wished to avoid; they'd have replied with arbitrary imprisonment and the suspension of due process. Please don't take my word for it, hear it from the Prosecutor's Prosecutor. The SCOTUS justice, form…

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    How do you exercise due process on the 10 million people imported into the country over the last 4-5 years?

    The court system simply isn't built for it, nor the detainment facilities to house them while the courts take months to process each person. The housing market is already under too much stress and low cost housing and free housing has gone to them instead of citizens who were already here and in need.
...?

The same way you exercise it for 320 million other people. The same way it has been exercised for every person who immigrated to American soil. Including your ancestors.

Let's be clear about what you're actually saying and you're advocating for, you are advocating for the suspension of due process and fundamental rights to an entire class of human beings you see as the other.

If history has taught us anything, the definition of who and what is other changes over time. One day, you too shall be the other. And that day you will beg for the due process and fundamental rights you wish to deprive these people.

When the Benjamin Franklin said, "... if you can keep it." This type of thought process is precisely what he meant.

Re: Harvard's response to federal government letter demanding changes

#283

Post by TimorousBestie »

kweingar wrote: post #224

The aggregate demands of the administration are confusing and contradictory. They seem to be simultaneously asking for: - an end to diversity initiatives - a new diversity initiative for diverse points of view - a new policy of not admitting international students with certain points of view - ending speech-control policies - auditing the speech of certain departments and programs - ending discipline of students who…

It’s a good strategy. Even if Harvard had attempted to satisfy every bullet point, the govt could still retort that their demands were not satisfied.

Re: Harvard's response to federal government letter demanding changes

#284

Post by AlexandrB »

esrauch wrote: post #213
FloorEgg wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you read the letter sent from the government to Harvard?

I did; it explicitly demanding an audit of employees and students political views, the forced hiring of more professors who are sympathetic to the current administration's politics. That doesn't sound authoritarian to you? Can you imagine if Obama had demanded that any university do an ideological purge of its conservative staff and students?

> Can you imagine if Obama had demanded that any university do an ideological purge of its conservative staff and students?

Obama didn't need to demand it, the Universities went ahead and did it on their own.

https://unsafescience.substack.com/p/the-last-four-years-wer...

Re: Harvard's response to federal government letter demanding changes

#285

Post by jiriknesl »

kweingar wrote: post #224

The aggregate demands of the administration are confusing and contradictory. They seem to be simultaneously asking for: - an end to diversity initiatives - a new diversity initiative for diverse points of view - a new policy of not admitting international students with certain points of view - ending speech-control policies - auditing the speech of certain departments and programs - ending discipline of students who…

The demands are simple and not confusing at all.

- Stop promoting Democrats' agendas as the ultimate truth; stop bullying people for non-Democratic views - Allow Republicans' agendas to be equally represented

Is it really so difficult to understand?

Out of many bad things Trump has done, this isn't really bad for anyone except core Democrats voters.

The US academia has become hostile to anyone except one particular culture. This should stop.

Re: Harvard's response to federal government letter demanding changes

#286

Post by jsheard »

settrans wrote: post #266
kombine wrote: post #63

These people (not only MAGA) perverted the very meaning of antisemitism to the point that it means nothing today. I am saying that as someone who's lost a family member to Holocaust. When I hear someone mention antisemitism today, 90% of the time it is to punish someone's views critical of Israel.

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> Where are the pro-Palestinian activists who are standing up for the Gazans who have the courage to risk their lives by protesting against Hamas?

If you can find me a western government or institution they should be protesting for actively collaborating with Hamas then I'll grant you that hypocrisy. They don't need to because it's already a federal crime to materially support Hamas in any way whatsoever.

Re: Harvard's response to federal government letter demanding changes

#287

Post by churchill »

settrans wrote: post #232
breadwinner wrote: post #117

Being anti-Israel should not be conflated with being antisemitic. After all, the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu for a reason. Trump is using “antisemitism” as cover for the imposition of authoritarianism. This comes from Putin's playbook. Putin used denazification as an excuse for invading Ukraine. Trump himself has espoused antisemitism from time to time, see below. John Kell…

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Re: Harvard's response to federal government letter demanding changes

#288

Post by nineplay »

kweingar wrote: post #224

The aggregate demands of the administration are confusing and contradictory. They seem to be simultaneously asking for: - an end to diversity initiatives - a new diversity initiative for diverse points of view - a new policy of not admitting international students with certain points of view - ending speech-control policies - auditing the speech of certain departments and programs - ending discipline of students who…

The demands of the administration are the demands of a bully who doesn't want your lunch money, he just wants you to know he can take it away at any time.

Re: Harvard's response to federal government letter demanding changes

#289

Post by matwood »

thecrumb wrote: post #161
MR_Bulldops wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let's have a conversation about leaking tax dollars. How do you feel about our tax dollars directly enriching the sitting president? How do you feel about our tax dollars leaking into a military parade to celebrate the president's birthday? If you don't address those leaks, how can we be expected to take people like you seriously when you defend authoritarian policy as fiscally responsible?

You forgot the cost of his golf excursions. (there are a surprising number of Trump golf trackers LOL) https://didtrumpgolftoday.com/ "Est. cost to taxpayers for golf since returning to office: $32,200,000"

You also forgot the birthday military parade he wants that's been estimated to cost ~$100M.

Re: Harvard's response to federal government letter demanding changes

#290

Post by killjoywashere »

clivestaples wrote: post #147

Likely I'm very naive. But here goes... It seems that taxpayers fund a lot of research. This research is very valuable and lucrative. It finds its way into the hands of those who know how to profit from it. The taxpayer is again screwed paying exorbitant prices for said breakthroughs. Insulin is one area of interest to me and it very much seems to be the case in the diabetes world. This was how NAFTA was sold. Move c…

Much like outbreaks that never turn into pandemics, no one remembers the efficiency measures that prevent price increases.
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