Horowitz's group planning to go to Indiana state legislature

[salin]

to not only create more "balance" in academe (professors are lefties! you know) - but in the story it shows that these folks also are going after professors for simply sponsoring peace groups - even though no one is being forced into membership, or to attend such groups. Ugh!

The story was in the Herald Times (aka the horrible terrible... b-ton paper) which requires registration. Linked is my post (with excerpts from the story) that I posted on LBN.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1088579

[Metatron]

1. Here's the article in today's Indy Star.

http://www.indystar.com/articles/4/203781-8754-102.html

"Students for Academic Freedom has targeted colleges in the state before.

Early this year, IU modified the content of a course dealing with workplace safety and terrorism after the group accused the instructor of presenting a biased view of Middle East history and politics.

Just last month, Horowitz wrote an article in an online journal accusing the head of the Ball State University's center for peace and conflict studies of supporting terrorism.

Horowitz' criticism came after student Brett Mock complained to the group that professor George Wolfe used the course to advocate for nonviolent activism and did not fairly acknowledge military force as an alternative."

As an IU grad, this makes me completely sick.

[salin]

2. Glad to see the story got picked up by the Star -

much wider circulation than just b-ton. Sometimes worry that stories like these only get play in the major U towns, although the chilling effect would playout across the state.

[Metatron]

3. I find it unbelievable that IU actually changed course content to suit

this group. In my opinion, if college Republicans feel that they are being picked on in class, I am sure it because their arguments lack the basics of critical thinking. Any good professor is going to challenge arguments that are based on feelings rather than on evidence, etc. Spouting right-wing ideology as opposed to a rational examination of an issue is a waste of time for all of the students in any class.

[hippiechick]

4. Those students should be forced to go to a REAL liberal school

.... and then see if they can claim that ANY campus on Indiana has a 'liberal bias'.

What a fucking JOKE.


:hippie:

[IndianaGreen]

5. Be afraid, be really afraid!

America is well on its way to dictatorship. It is only a matter of time before dissent is equated with terrorism.

[DrGonzoLives]

6. It'll pass

Why, do you ask? Because Alan Chowning lost to some dipshit who ran a dipshit commercial about Alan Chowning voting down bus funding, which was, well, bullshit from beginning to end.

The Republicans hold the legislature and the state house. The only hope is that a few moderate ones will defect, and some of the conservative Democrats there will form ranks, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

[ElaineinIN]

7. Is there an action plan?

Who do we write? Are there legislators to target? This is outrageous on so many levels, we've got to see what we can do.

[salin]

8. No bill has actually been filed (yet)

or at least as of a week ago. We need to watch this carefully, and then try to find some folks who are familiar with the key players on the committees in both the house and the senate which would hear this. Unfortunately my best contacts that have a great awareness of where legislators trend (at least as of the last session) are republican leaning - not sure where they would fall on this - but will make an "innocent inquiry" (sometimes debate politics for the heck of it - main contact has a "liberal professor" (his term) father... so might be a little objective on this... also a big libertarian at heart (hates govt interference)... so that may help in terms of getting some decent advice...)

Let's keep aware and informed on this - and try to figure out a strategy if we end up needing one.