America’s Crumbling Institutions and Their Discontents

America's Institutions are crumbling. We can see it all around us, according to this recent Gallop poll:

Jonathan Haidt comments on one of the main causes of institutional decay: The failure of institutions to nurture and encourage free and vigorous speech resulting in the lack of viewpoint diversity:

America’s institutions were once strong, he says.

“By the mid to late 20th century, America had the best epistemic institutions in the world, epistemic meaning institutions that generate knowledge, like universities, research institutes, intelligence agencies.

“Social media comes in and makes us afraid of dissent. Because if you tell a joke, if you raise a question, if you even so much as tweet, a link to a study, an academic study, that questions an orthodoxy about race, or gender, you can be fired for that.

“When critics go silent, the institution gets stupid.”

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The Overton Window Closes at Indiana School District

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.

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FAIR Sends Letter of Inquiry to University of Colorado at Denver

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).

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Bari Weiss Invites All of Us to Become “Founders”

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."

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FIRE’s Expanded Mission

FIRE's new billboards:

FIRE is now the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, reflecting its newly expanded mission. Defending free speech in schools is still critically important, but the new mission has been expanded.

June 8, 2022 Statement by Greg Lukianoff, FIRE's President and CEO:

Today, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Educationbecomes the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

America’s leading defender of free speech, due process, and academic freedom in higher education is expanding its free speech mission beyond campus. The $75 million expansion initiative will focus on three main areas of programming: litigation, public education, and research.

“America needs a new nonpartisan defender of free speech that will advocate unapologetically for this fundamental human right in both the court of law and the court of public opinion,” said FIRE President & CEO Greg Lukianoff. “FIRE has a proven track record of defeating censorship on campus. We are excited to now bring that same tireless advocacy to fighting censorship off campus.”

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