An Indiana Public School K-12 District has announced penalties for micro-aggressions. These penalties include suspensions and expulsions for saying the word "guys" and asking people where they are from. Greg Lukianoff of FIRE discusses with Megyn Kelly.
FAIR is the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism. FAIR often speaks up when organizations exhibit illiberal tendencies, even when this is done with good intentions. A recent example, a letter FAIR sent to the University of Colorado. Here's an excerpt from FAIR's letter of concern:
To summarize the information provided to FAIR: The University is emphasizing a particular ideological viewpoint and concomitant intolerance of dissenting viewpoints. It has held events where individuals are physically segregated based on skin color. A chilling effect has resulted on campus, leaving some employees and students feeling they cannot express their beliefs without fear of retribution.
We have significant concerns if that information is accurate. As an advocate for pro-human antiracism, FAIR respects educators who undertake efforts to create positive change and greater fairness. There can be no question of past and present injustices committed in this nation. However, institutional policies and practices that attempt to remedy prejudice should not themselves further prejudice or intolerance. It is unconstitutional for a public institution to segregate individuals by skin color, even if the purpose is benign. Johnson v. California, 543 U.S. 499, 506 (2005). Shelley v. Kraemer, 334 U.S. 1, 22 (1948); Shaw v. Hunt, 517 U.S. 899, 908 (1996).
Bari Weiss is one of my heroes. She was forced off the staff of New York Times a few years ago because she refused to be muzzled on important issues of the day. She is now building her own media institution. I don't agree with her on everything, but I do see eye to eye with her on most of the topics of this podcast, an address she recently gave to a brand new college. One of her themes is that we need to bravely tell the truth, even when it causes people to dislike us. Even when they call us names. And we should never feel compelled to say things we don't believe to placate the mob. She invites each of us to avoid cynicism and to become "Founders."
Over the past couple of years, I have learned a lot about writing by reading Freddie DeBoer. He's got some incredible chops! His most recent article is a masterclass, especially his psychoanalysis of the ACLU's Chris Strange. Here's an excerpt from his article, "The Good White Man Roster: a database of progressive white men who are thirsty for credit."
These are the guys who have carefully crafted personas as ALLIES, as the good ones, as the right kind of white guy. These are the dudes whose every engagement on social media functions to let you know how very sorry they are, but always seem to come out on top in doing so. These are the guys who always stand behind women, ready to catch them when they fall, which they will inevitably do because of fucking patriarchy, man, and if people would just read their bell hooks maybe we’d be getting somewhere!, please like share and subscribe. These are the guys who think all complaints about identity politics, political correctness, and cancel culture are just the dying gasp of reactionary old men, which is why they lie awake at night praying to god that they never get canceled. These are the guys who put their pronouns in their bios in hopes that doing so might get them a little pussy. These are the guys who will harangue you about how white dudes do this and white dudes do that, speaking to you from their blameless white dude mouths in their righteous white dude faces. These are the guys who look at the discourse about white supremacy and patriarchy and see market opportunity.
In this video, Glenn Loury and Jonathan Haidt Discuss the Structural Stupidities of the Left and Right. It is a fantastic conversation by two good-hearted nuanced thinkers who are concerned about the damage being done to many American institutions.