Posted on 07/20/2009 9:02:48 AM PDT by EricTheRed_VocalMinority
This sad story stemmed from an editorial in the University of Oregons campus paper The Daily Emerald at the beginning of June. Its author, journalism grad student Dan Lawton, is a self-described liberal and political independent who couldnt help but notice the virtual non-existence of conservative and/or Republican representation in the universitys journalism, law, political science, economics and sociology departments.
Lawtons column read in part:
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reflect, Mark Twain once said. I spent my first few months as a graduate student here doing just that. I came back to school to prepare myself for a career in which I would be expected to defend my convictions. I matriculated seeking discourse and found conformity, and as I realized there would be little intellectual challenge going left, I drifted right.
In part, I believe this transformation aided my intellectual and professional development. Liberal journalism is so normative that its difficult to stake a claim. But if your politics are independent enough that you can occasionally gravitate across the aisle, theres an expanse of fertile ground waiting. From this realization I have profited, but, in general, the dearth of conservative viewpoints damages the experiences of University students, regardless if they acknowledge it.
The lifeblood of learning is exposure to a diverse and combative set of viewpoints. This sort of framework allows students to sift through ideologies and compose their own independent belief systems. The concept of diversity and the marketplace of ideas shouldnt just act as convenient adages for
(Excerpt) Read more at vocalminority.typepad.com ...
Sounds like Dan Lawton, “self-discribed liberal,” just had an epiphany - and is probably soon going to become a Conservative.
Quick - some one send him the Freerepublic.com website!
I am a died and true Longhorn fan, but for anyone to insist that UT is a conservative school is insane. They don't call it the "Berkley on the Brazos" for nothing. This prof needs to have an evaluation of him mental faculties.
Lawton did a great job reporting an issue that makes elite academics uncomfortable. They’re hateful, visceral reaction just proves how right he was.
In many ways today’s conservatism traces its roots to classic liberalism. Today’s “liberals” are really leftists who are pushing for fascism, but they’re too dumb to know that fascism comes from the left so they push on in blissful ignorance of the damage they’re doing.
By coincidence, I’m a graduate of the University of Oregon’s journalism program. This was back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, but my experience in the Emerald People’s Republic was the start of my move toward conservatism.
This young man is going through the same journey, in the same place. Nothing opens your eyes more than the strident leftwing totalitarians down there in Eugene, where everyone is tolerant as long as you say and do what the elites want you to say and do, and diversity means varying hues of Marxist and leftist thought.
I sometimes miss those Earth girls in their peasant dresses, wearing Birkenstocks, hanging out at Sundance eating Nancy’s Yogurt.... and the bike paths were a dream for those of us young enough to use them. My gardens were always productive, too. I suspect that even now, 25 years later, some of those things are still there.
The intolerance, though, was stifling. Glad I’m not there.
I think I need to sit down! This is such a shock . . . !
/sarc
That would be either "dyed in the wool" or "tried and true," if you were looking for the real cliche.
I can never remember if it’s “You buttered your bread, now sleep in it” or “You made your bed, now eat it”...
That would be either "dyed in the wool" or "tried and true," if you were looking for the real cliche.
Either that or he died and took his keyboard with him. Nyuck! Chicago anyone?
Basically campuses our bastions of leftist bigotry.
the sad fact is universities are about generating a degree “meal ticket”
This means universities are no longer about creating well rounded individuals and thinking men and women.
It is about intelectual conquest in order to produce drones waiving dear leader’s little blue book and shouting down those opposed to the intelectual conquest by the left.
Oregon State guy here, but us old Beavers won’t diss a good Duck. Sometime soon we should start sending our conservative kids to become college professors and take back these far left training camps.
Don’t mix your euphemisms before they hatch.
These left wing bigot professors today are cut from the same cloth as the wackos standing in front of the schools screaming for segrigation.
They are using institutional discrimination to hide their lack of qualifications.
UT is not called “Berkeley on the Brazos”. The Brazos River is nowhere near Austin. Rather, it runs through Waco, home of Baylor University, renowned worldwide as “Sodom on the Brazos”.
UT is more like “Cornell on the Colorado”.
That is not just a good argument it is great writing regardless of the point being expressed. This guy has a future as a columnist.
Berkeley By Barton Springs?
Well, it would be better, probably. The problem is that human nature would tend to militate against it for a variety of reasons.
And, note, putting the idea to work would require UofO to replace tenured professors according to an explicit political criterion -- bad enough when it's done somewhat unconsciously, as now; but really, really bad when the political criteria are applied as a matter of bureaucratic policy.
Hard to see how to reverse the process, short of a string of a) very tough and honest Dept. Chairs who can revise the demographics; and b) the availability of good, non-liberal candidates.
That would be either "dyed in the wool" or "tried and true," if you were looking for the real cliche.
Not to pick nits, but its not the Brazos river, its the Colorado.
Gig'em Aggies!!!
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