John Ruberry over at Marathonpundit has a story, featuring what appears to be administrative censorship of a campus newspaper, stifling of conservative student's protests, AND Ward Churchill. It doesn't get much better than that. To top it off, David Horowitz's FrontPage Magazine is in the middle of it. This would be exactly the kind of intellectual argument which a truly liberal university should encourage. Sadly, it does not seem to be so at DePaul.

As a courtesy to John, Medary.com is pleased to host for him the ad that DePaul wouldn't run.

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[DePaul] [Ward Churchill] [Illinois] [Chicago] [Academic Freedom] [David Horowitz] [Colorado]

There's an old saying about the Internet: It treats censorship as a network failure and routes around it.

Here's my contribution to that routing: the web site BoingBoing, a blog before weblogs even existed, is being blocked by countries, companies, etc., etc. I think that's silly. So, I'll give our friends at BoingBoing a hand with this snippet from their web site:

• First, we're publishing a guide to evading the SmartFilter censorware. There are hundreds of ways to defeat these censorware apps, and we're going to catalog as many of them as possible.
  Link to "BoingBoing's Guide To Evading Censorware."
• Next, we're compiling a list of SmartFilter's dumb classifications. Send us your misclassified SmartFilter sites so we can add them to the list.
• Finally, we're producing a guide to convincing your employer to ditch SmartFilter. It consists of parts one and two above: a list of bad SmartFilter classifications and a list of ways that SmartFilter can be shredded like wet kleenex. Why spend money on bad technology that doesn't work?

Signed, the BoingBoing team:
- Cory Doctorow
- Mark Frauenfelder
- Xeni Jardin
- David Pescovitz
- John Battelle

My old pals in the network security business are going to hate me for this . . . but it's just the latent libertarian in me, peeking out from the conservative veneer . . .

South Dakota narrowly failed to pass the Intellectual Diversity Bill this past Legislative session.

The issue, however, isn't going away.

Witness the harassment that Professor Adams is suffering at UNC Wilmington:

Dear Jonathan (Garthwaite): I am writing to submit my letter of resignation as a regular columnist for your conservative website. My decision comes in response to the following letter, submitted by a professor in my department to all the other professors in my department (myself excluded):

… When Adams puts his place of employment and his job description at the bottom of his (Townhall.com) articles, he is drawing on his professional reputation and the reputation of this university (UNC-Wilmington) to convince readers of his argument. If I was [sic] his employer (Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo), I would interpret the below article (“NOW and THEN”) as sabotage, given the graphic nature of his language and obvious contempt for 4/5 [sic] (it is actually closer to 3/5) of our student population.

Regards,
Lynne (Snowden).

Snowden’s letter raises a number of points that have been crucial in my retirement decision. The main points are enumerated below:

1. This letter was forwarded to me shortly after I checked my mail in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice. In the vicinity of the mailbox, there is a sign reading “Dumb F**k Mountain.” The poster – which shows a picture of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney below the title - was placed there by another professor. Despite the fact that it is actually stapled to the wall of a university building, Snowden has voiced no objections. After all, it’s private speech. But my articles have a by-line (attached by the editor) mentioning my professional affiliation. Therefore, this constitutes “sabotage.” It is unclear whether “sabotage” is merely a tort or, if an actual crime, a felony or a misdemeanor.

2. The second sentence of this missive begins with the words “If I was his employer…” Snowden is not my employer and she never will be my employer. In 2001, she filed a report with the UNCW police alleging that I helped spray tear gas in her office. After the accusations were found to be false, her dreams of becoming my boss were pretty well destroyed. The only real question is whether filing a false felony accusation against a colleague is “sabotage.” I’ll leave that for the chancellor to decide. Given that a) the chancellor is a feminist and b) feminists never condemn fellow feminists, Snowden may well be falsely accusing her colleagues of terrorism for years to come. This is funny, given that she actually teaches a course in counter-terrorism.

3. The suggestion that I have contempt for 4/5 of the student population raises another interesting point. Since women constitute the majority on our campus, it is perplexing to see us continue to treat them like a minority with special services like a “Women’s Resource Center.” After all, they not only outnumber the males but also outperform them in the classroom.

4. Recently, the university Christmas tree was dubbed “offensive” by the administration, which resulted in simply renaming it “the tree.” Now, my columns have been dubbed “graphic.” Well, what about the phrase “Dumb F**k Mountain”? Isn’t that a graphic and offensive phrase? And what exactly is “Dumb F**k Mountain”? Is it the place where they recruit college administrators? Or is it where they train people to teach “counterterrorism”?

So, Jon, you can see why I’ve decided to call it quits. These hypocritical university leftists are just too easy for me to handle. Since none present a remotely interesting challenge to me intellectually, I must simply move on to greater challenges. That is why effective March 1st of the year 2016, I am retiring as a columnist for your website.

Between now and my official retirement date in ten years, I will write no more than 1000 columns mocking university feminists, administrators, and assorted leftist screwballs. If anyone has a problem with that, there is no part of my backside I do not cordially invite them to kiss.

In the meantime, enjoy the latest addition to the Adams arsenal by clicking here. It was funded by the graphic hypocrisy of my would-be saboteurs and the generous contributions of my loyal readers.

Mike Adams is a criminology professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and is a regular columnist for Townhall.com.

Well, you see, Mike, intellectual diversity is only for leftists.

Please report to Room 101. You are to be re-named Winston. Mr. O'Brien will see you now.

War is Peace.
Freedom is Slavery.
Ignorance is Strength.

But, in case wrongthink suits your fancy, here's Dr. Adams' web site.

President Bush is visiting India, possibly America's most strategic ally for the 21st Century.

Some in Old Media cotton onto what's in the air. Others simply obsess over India's nuclear program. As usual, superior analysis can be found at blogs, military strategy sites, and foreign Old Media.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the face of leftist totalitarianism in the U.S. today:

United for Peace & Justice

Inviting everyone to the White House for a protest rally to show that we do not accept the criminal government. For Nat Turner, For Martin and Coretta, For all the Torture and Assassination in Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti and many others - We will not allow the Slave Holders that Still Prevail in this Country to Rule us any longer. Imprisonment and torture based on race, religion, resources or region is no different than the slavery we sought to abolish years ago. The Administration is Criminal and if they will not step down, we must storm in, show them how many of us do not accept a criminal government. How can we stand by and watch them kill our brothers, sisters, journalists and friends for their dollars?

They're shooting (pardon the term) for March 15th. This should be entertaining to watch.

(In case you're befuddled by this article's title, it's a song title by that legendary nihilistic hardcore rock band Dead Kennedys. Other danceable DK ditties included Kill The Poor and California uber Alles.

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[Politics] [Wackos] [Current Affairs] [Liberalism]

In a post on FreeRepublic, poster "Seattle Conservative" makes a large number of points worth considering:

Thought I’d share the following w you. My head was about to explode by Wednesday over the Port deal. It got to the point where I could barely listen to or read any more on this issue. So when I came home I sat down and just typed out what I felt I knew and my thoughts on the deal (this often helps me collect my thoughts and see pros and cons on issues). I think we discussed some of these last week. I’m definitely leaning for this deal and, while my mind can be changed, to date I haven’t seen 1 legitimate argument against the deal. My reference to Dims below includes some RINOs.

1. UAE is run by an Emir – he would not allow anything to happen on American soil due to the fact that they are trying to build a westernized culture (large cities, investments, tourists, women’s rights) and he knows that they’d have hell to pay. I think if anything, they’ll be extra careful. Why would UAE cause harm to the US via shipping when the finger would be pointed right back to them - -it makes no sense. If they wanted to harm the US, it would be easier and they could keep a lower profile to send someone over the Canadian or Mexican border.

2. OBL, Iran and the Islamo-facists would like nothing better than a Arab company kicked out of the US or not allowed in the US – great propaganda for them.

3. UAE, Jordan, Kuwait are our main allies in the ME. If we tick off UAE it’ll will tick off the rest (let’s call it ‘Muslim brotherhood’), like a slap in the face to all Arab nations and we’d loose some valuable allies on the WOT and in the region. Could also have a turning point on our efforts in Iraq.

4. Plans for a new Grand Port in Iraq. IMHO this deal is strategic to have a relationship w UAE from a shipping perspective and also any potential issues w Iran (see proximity on map to both - I'll post on another post).

5. UAE was one of first to put in new security measures at their ports (Container Security Initiative) and we have our folks there working with them.

6. A lot of people went off half-*censored*ed and didn’t learn about everything involved and/or based their comments on feelings and mis-information and/or limited information (e.g., original comments were selling our ports and/or selling security at our ports, rather than leasing the container terminal operations at our ports).

7. Dims – security a big issue for them as the Americans have trusted Pubbies w security more than the Dems. To win elections, they need to take over the security issue and they see the ports as an avenue to do that, especially when they lie about what the deal really entails.

8. Blame Bush for using ‘warrantless wiretaps’ and ‘eavesdropping on Americans’ one week (when he is trying to protect us through the NAS), then they jump on the port bandwagon the next week saying Bush doesn’t care about our security. More bash-Bush and showing what a bunch of hypocrites they are.

9. Peter King was on Tony’s radio show and mentioned something to the effect that they weren’t aware of the deal until the NY Port authority made them aware of it. Light bulb went off for me – Chuckie is the one that came out loudest and first on this and his wife works for the NY Port authority – coinky dinky, I don’t think so.

10. The Dims holler about the treatment of the terrorist Arabs in Gitmo then say we can’t trust the Arabs in the UAE. They’re racists and bigots, but won’t admit it, and are demagogues on this whole issue.

11. One of the main issues is that the Dims are probably getting pressure from the unions, primarily longshoremen, who give HUGH donations to the Dims.

12. Not selling the Ports – the deal is the sale of one company in the UK to another in the UAE and involves the management of the operations of the ports, not the ports themselves and not the security (nothing will change on what Customs, US Coast Guard, Homeland Security are currently doing).

13. I think it was Feinstein that said let government take over. Just what we need, another huge bureaucracy, increasing the size of the government, huge $’s to taxpayers, who will train these folks, goal to get these folks unionized, too?

14. Contrary to some Dims hollering about having an American company do this, no American company currently performs this type of work, only a few countries in the world w this company’s capabilities. US currently has port ops run by other countries, including China.

15. Canada – one of largest trading partners, cells there, easy to get in (don’t need a passport if claim ‘refugee’ status), easy to cross border to US, but apparently Dims think the UAE could hurt us more by handling shipping ops.

16. That some of the 9/11 bomber terrorists were from UAE, doesn’t necessarily mean anything. The shoe bomber was from London. The bombers in London weren’t from UAE.

17. Mansoor Ijiz on Tony Snow –
a. Amount of cargo that comes here from there so small, they could search every one (CAT scan or otherwise).
b. UAE changed in how they viewed terror after 9/11. In 2000 they offered Clinton to put OBL in their jail.
c. They take an active front line against defense – the royal family is one of the main targets of OBL.

18. Tommy Franks on Tony Snow, mentioned the following:
a. Camp Rhino maps, coordinates, etc provided to Franks by UAE
b. UAE first ones to give us unlimited over-flight
c. Port in Dubai probably best run port complex he’s ever been in, hosts more navy shipping than any other port in the world outside the US. Franks knows these people, and absolutely trusts them.
d. We’re not talking about giving security to a foreign country - we’ll continue to provide sec.
e. Tommy said this is just a red herring and they’re chasing down an alley during an election year.
f. UAE has had military forces in both Afghanistan and Iraq. UAE has been at front end of help in ME.
g. UAE offered $100M to help Katrina (1st to do so).
h. Excellent intelligence gathering and have been sharing since before 9/11 – were ‘best source of intelligence on Taliban’ we had.
i. We sold them F-16 and apache helicopters they’re flying now (during Clinton’s admin). Have been vetted before.
j. Will look like ‘no good deed remains unpunished’.
k. We have 1500- a few thousand troops there - - when was the last time you heard of sec incident in UAE – take great care of our ‘sons and daughters posted there’.
l. Worldwide economy that if we permit lawmakers to bring to a halt every potential deal that involves US ports and foreign companies, we’ll bring shipping to its knees’
m. We don’t profile in this country, yet looking at lawmakers who seek to look at everything from ME is bad.
n. People in our country our smarter than politicians give them credit for – we need to be able to differentiate ally from enemy and UAE has been mis-characterized at this point.

19. Wabaahism isn’t allowed in UAE.

20. Bush’s problem in this issue and other issues is American people’s perception of reality rather than reality. He needs to communicate and be honest w public about this and other issues and get on the offense rather than continually having to play catch up defense.

21. The Dubai company is operating ports around the world now and the US is getting shipments from those ports –if they wanted to do harm to us, they could have sent something in long before now.

22. Employees of the company at the US ports are and will be US citizens and unions (though it appears the unions feel somewhat threatened by this).

23. 1st reported in press in Oct by Bloomberg. P&O and UAE announced in Nov. - came to light recently w company in FL filing lawsuit - -seems like they want to take over whole operation, and, by doing so, increase the number of union folks doing work there.

24. The Dims gripe about this deal being ‘secretive’ (there’s that word again), but, I don’t believe they have any evidence that the Admin hasn't done due diligence - - it has been reviewed and approved by the CIFUS, which includes members from the departments of Defense, HS, and Treas.

25. The Dims conveniently forget that they helped pass CIFUS – this is another issue (like the terrorist surveillance one) where Dims are screaming ‘Congressional oversight’ – due to CIFUS, they don’t need to provide oversight – however, of course they feel the need to do so as they want to tie Bush’s hands some more, have another issue to run to the cameras and bash Bush on, and give more importance to themselves (they hate that Bush is sometimes characterized as ‘the most powerful leader in the free world’ and forget about what is supposed to be 3 equal branches of government, they want to give more power to themselves and take some away from the Prez).

26. I trust Pres Bush – believe he and his admin have done every thing they can to protect us and don’t think they would allow any deal to go through that would cause potential harm to the US.

Well, I'd thought that I'd pulled my hamstring muscle last Saturday, trying to race Snookums around the exercise track. But I finally went to the doctor, and she disagreed. She thinks I ruptured a blood vessel. I go get a CT scan today to find out for sure.

So, that's why I just can't get worked up about the U.A.E. ports thing, or Sasha Cohen and the Olympics, or even the woeful SDSU men's basketball team. Bummer about that Golden Dome mosque thing over in Iraq.

It's just hard to get too worked up about a lot of things when your primary worry is to not take too long a stride, in order to avoid stabbing shooting pain in your leg.

According to the South Dakota Politics blog, the bill requiring South Dakota universities to report on intellectual diversity was defeated on the last day of the session.

Not surprisingly, the bill became partisan, with the Democrats almost unanimously opposing it, mostly at the behest of the teachers' unions, but some also listend to the ACLU, which also opposed it. The Democrats also know that the universities are their political allies, so it was no surprise they wanted to protect them from even the most minimal legislative oversight. The executive director of the Board of Regents, Tad Perry, was also hysterical in his attacks on the bill, even though he said he was happy to provide reports to the legislature (which he clearly is not). Several Republican legislators were furious with Perry for his grandstanding and he burned a lot of bridges.

The South Dakota universities really don't need to alienate support in the Legislature, as there's not much of that there to begin with.

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[Politics] [Education] [Current Affairs] [South Dakota] [Intellectual Diversity]

I hope Professor Art Marmorstein already has tenure:

For years, I have used The Paper as an example of academic writing at its best, pointing out to my students that the most persuasive arguments come from those who best understand and most carefully consider the arguments and ideas of their opponents - and who always keep in mind the possibility that they themselves might be in the wrong.

This healthy skepticism about "received wisdom" is part of a long tradition in Western thinking about academic life. Figures like Milton, Locke and Mill insisted that, if all views were given a fair opportunity in the marketplace of ideas, the truth would eventually win out: The only thing that could stop the truth was its forcible suppression.

This is an idea that lies at the heart of liberal education, and universities are at their best when dominated by liberals of this type, i.e., those who are committed to the exploration of the full range of human ideas. Some of my recently retired colleagues were wonderful teachers precisely because they were so committed to this type of liberalism. ,p> Unfortunately, much of the academic left in this country has ceased to be liberal, embracing (often unwittingly) a kind of bastard Marxism as its core philosophy. Dogmatic, intolerant and mean-spirited, doctrinaire leftists often make academic life miserable for conservative students - and for traditional liberals, for that matter. They and their like-minded students shout down campus speakers whose ideas they don't like. They publicly ridicule students who dare question their ideas, and they refuse to even consider hiring faculty members who don't toe the proper political line.

The astonishing thing is how obvious this is to those like me who were once in academe but now live in "the real world," and how opaque this is to some who remain in the Ivory Tower.

Hat Tip: South Dakota Politics.

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[Politics] [Education] [Current Affairs]

Special Reporter Iowahawk, reporting from the Middle West:

But by far the fiercest demonstration took place in Green Bay's Lambeau Shrine parking lot where throngs of Packer faithful burned Texas flags and effigies of Roger Staubach as Lutheran pastors led them in chants of "Those who defame the Vince suck" and "Favre is Great." Many of the frenzied demonstrators were seen ritualistically beating themselves with mozzarella sticks.

In order to understand it all, you had to have lived (or know someone who has lived) in the Upper Midwest.

Lombardi Akbar.