In yesterday’s post, I focused on the Right’s habit of using words to mean their opposites, exemplified by MAGA’s insistence that working for social amity and equal treatment for all Americans was really playing “identity politics.” In reality, MAGA’s core belief–that the country should privilege White Christian men–is the essence of “identity politics.”
MAGA’s tactic of using language to undermine the actual meaning of the words being used isn’t limited to that one example. As an essay in the Chronicle of Higher Education recently pointed out, in last year’s legislative session, Indiana Republicans provided another, even more egregious example. Under the pretext of protecting “intellectual diversity,” Indiana’s Act 202 is aimed at limiting the plurality of viewpoints on campus. The Act is a frontal attack on academic freedom, masquerading as the opposite.
The essay began by noting the removal of a social work professor from her classroom for the unpardonable sin of making one graduate student “uncomfortable.” His discomfort was triggered by the instructor’s use of a chart distinguishing between overt and covert racism. The chart included “Make America Great Again” as one of several slogans that can be used as covert white supremacy, and it was used in a class on “Diversity, Human Rights and Social Justice.”
As the essay pointed out, IU’s suspension of the instructor (after the student complained to Indiana’s ultra-MAGA Senator Jim Banks) actually violated the clear terms of the act, both procedurally and under terms which prohibit institutions from limiting the freedom of faculty members “teaching, researching, or writing publications about diversity, equity, and inclusion or other topics.” (This language was intended to protect critics of DEI, but it clearly applies here.)
As the essay’s author points out, attacks on universities on pretexts of protecting intellectual diversity have a long history.
The right has taken the language of the left, mockingly imitating the words and then turning them into tools of repression.
In 2003, David Horowitz urged conservatives to “use the language that the left has deployed” and declare that there is “a lack of ‘intellectual diversity’ on college faculties.” Horowitz tried to invoke “academic freedom” to justify suppressing it, creating the Academic Bill of Rights and his “Students for Academic Freedom,” claiming that protecting the rights of students meant banning professors from expressing political views.
Act 202 undermines both intellectual diversity and due process by permitting university trustees to fire professors deemed “likely to subject students to political or ideological views and opinions that are unrelated to the faculty member’s academic discipline or assigned course of instruction.” Note that no evidence of actual misconduct is needed, simply a belief–founded or not– that a professor might be “likely” to say something forbidden.
Act 202 also prohibits professors from saying anything unrelated to their classes. Anything. That’s in clear contrast to AAUP’s appropriate standard, which is for “teachers to avoid persistently intruding material which has no relation to their subject.”
It’s not the presence of any ideas unrelated to a class that violates academic norms, but only persistently intruding material. And this rule must be applied in a viewpoint neutral manner. Colleges cannot punish unrelated speech about politics more than they punish unrelated speech about football or the weather or any other topic. By targeting political viewpoints alone for penalties, SB 202 clearly violates the First Amendment.
Act 202 also weakens tenure protections–protections that were specifically created to protect intellectual diversity. Act 202 requires–okay, threatens– a “post-tenure review” by trustees–officials with no demonstrated competence to judge academic work. A professor’s work should be judged by academic peers rather than unqualified political appointees.
I can attest to the chilling effect of these provisions and IU’s over-eager implementation of them. During numerous conversations, former colleagues have shared dismay and discomfort, given that–under the Act’s language– it is impossible to know what ideas might be deemed “unrelated” to a professor’s academic field by a trustee who knows nothing about that field. (And in Indiana, where our MAGA Governor has personally chosen all of the trustees, that ignorance is pretty much a given.)
The tactical brilliance of laws like Act 202 is obvious. People resisting a law that is dishonestly framed as protective of intellectual diversity invites critics to charge that they are denouncing the concept rather than trying to protect it.
Indiana’s legislature may be accomplishing the true purpose of Act 202. The state is losing some of its best academic minds, who are decamping to institutions willing to protect genuine intellectual diversity, and under its current administration, a formerly proud and storied academic institution is poised to descend to the self-satisfied mediocrity of that legislature.
In Hermann Goering’s testimony at Nuremberg, he stated that if you told people the same lie over and over as well as telling them they are being oppressed, they’ll come along.
It’s not a new playbook. I’m sick to death (coming soon enough) of MAGA and all the right-wing bullshit that comes with it.
When you place a bunch of sycophantic 3s and 4s in a position to judge anything higher than them, it’s destined for failure. Again, this is Leadership 200. I can’t remember the author, but he wrote a book about taking mediocrity and turning it into greatness, and one of the priorities is ensuring that “the right people are in the bus with you.” Since none of us are omnipotent, except for Trump, we need to surround ourselves with diverse and expert voices. MAGA does the exact opposite.
Trump is about a 3, maybe. He hates people who are smarter than him, which doesn’t take much. He had that in Trump 1.0. His adjustment was to surround himself with order-takers like Pete Hegseth, who is now looking at a major investigation for war crimes. Yesterday, Trump officially broke from Hegseth, claiming, “I had nothing to do with it!”
It’s obviously Braun’s philosophy as well. He doesn’t want critical thinkers or smart people; he wants order takers. He’s destroyed IU’s academic reputation within a year. I would imagine the exit of professors is heading to BLUER pastures to teach.
This battle over redistricting is another example that nobody in the press wants to ask Braun who flies his helicopter around the state telling folks how great MAGA is, just like his manipulator, Trump. While their ratings and approval are sinking, they claim that they exceed all governors and presidents before them, and MAGAs cheer. So, if they are doing so awesome, as they claim, why do they have to cheat to maintain their majority? If you’re fantastic, voters would obviously vote for you regardless. Therefore, why do you have to cheat? LOL And, why is Trump ordering Braun to cheat if he’s so awesome? LOL
I saw the new maps yesterday, and our district in Muncie goes to the Ohio River. Who would want to run for office in that district, especially Democrats? And I don’t see how Marion County hasn’t filed a lawsuit already. They’ve divided it up into four districts, which have nothing to do with census numbers.
We’ll have to start making guillotines for Indianapolis and D.C.
“Newspeak” is Big Brother’s strongest chain.
If the people don’t like the new map, they can fix it by voting blue up and down the line. Imagine four democrats from the Indy split?
Yes, Greg, you nailed it.
Vernon, stick around a while longer, please, we need your wisdom, and we can share the popcorn when Trump leaves the scene, finishes circling the drain, and goes down it.
Thanks, Mitch. We’re working on sticking around. Surgery in January, then radioactive iodine. Maybe I’ll glow in the dark. Yeah. I’d love to share a bowl of popcorn with you as the caisson slowly goes down Pennsylvania Avenue.
Like a “Tower of Babel” no one speaking the same language or understanding what’s being said but it’s being done on purpose to confuse and control everyone. Taking away the positions of influence from anyone that doesn’t fall into line with the Maga narrative, hoping to cause an easy domino effect is hitting some snags. Americans like their freedom of speech and to have some incompetent officials set themselves up to be the shining example/ model of what’s acceptable is too offensive.
Vernon hope you’ll feel better soon. Your writing adds a lot to combat the nonsense that is being forced on Americans these days. We all deserve to see some just resolutions to Maga’s disregard and disrespect of the Constitution, Bill of Rights and the American way. Sooner than Later!