Please help my sons, your and others' kids
I'm the father of 5-year old and a 8-month old sons. Hopefully they will be
smart enough, and kind enough to my budget, to go on to the University of
California.
If you are reading this, you were probably strong-minded enough to resist
indoctrination in extremism while you were in college. You probably also know
others who weren't, or who were socially or verbally coerced into conformity
with liberal or far left doctrines.
That alone should be reason enough to support those who fight for greater
academic balance and fairness.
But, it has gone beyond that verbal coercion at some campuses, to physical
coercion. This is particularly so in acts of physical intimidation and
violence against identifiable Jewish students or those who strongly support
Israel, as the furthest left and the most radical Islamists combine to
enforce their views. See, for example, David Horowitz' book, Unholy
Alliance.
There is a movement in California and other states to have the legislature
pass the Academic Bill of Rights, which reinstates some of the rules
eliminated in 2003 , so that "faculty shall not use their courses or
their positions for the purpose of political, ideological, religious or
anti-religious indoctrination.".
In the meantime, more focused, is a
petition by the Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, a broad-based group
of scholars, to the Governor of California, University of California and
California State University officials. The petition urges a review of course
descriptions and materials to ensure that there is presentation of the
"full range of scholarly views about Israel and Zionism."
Yes, it has gone that far down hill that such a petition by concerned scholars
needs to be signed by concerned Americans. The Scholars for Peace in the
Middle East is trying to get 10,000 signatures immediately, with more to
follow. Timing is important because press attention can most easily be drawn
to the problem as the academic year begins.
Please click on this petition link and sign, and forward to every one you know
of good conscience. You and they need not be California residents to have a
say, as out-of-state students attend California colleges, and all Americans
have a keen stake in what happens in the state containing 10% of the U.S.
population.
Paraphrasing Jimmy Durante: My father thanks you; my mother thanks you; my
children thank you; and I thank you.
Reprinted with permission of the author after article originally appeared
at www.democracy-project.com