There’s an opinion piece in today’s (18 December) New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/18/opinion/trump-election-2024.html?mwgrp=a-mbar&smid=em-share) that I think is related to the topic Steve Kramer suggested for our next meeting on 8 January. It tries to make the case that Trump is a political moderate and pragmatist. Whether it does so successfully might be part of the conversation next time.
Tomorrow, we’ll continue the discussion of free speech (and its limits) in the university environment, focusing in particular on students’ speech.
And on universities’ “codes of conduct” for students and the repercussions for violating them.
There has already been the beginnings of a discussion via email amongst last week’s participants; we’ll continue in person (and via Zoom) tomorrow.
The recent Senate hearings, in which the presidents of Harvard, MIT and U Penn were grilled about campus antisemitism, has brought campus free speech back to center stage.
Two themes seem to be the current focus of discussion and debate (with PDF links to short opinion pieces):
Bret Stephens: “Campus Antisemitism, Free Speech and Double Standards” (NY Times)
Pamela Paul: “What Is Happening at the Columbia School of Social Work?” (NY Times)
Claire O. Finkelstein: “To fight antisemitism on campuses, we must restrict speech” (WaPo)
Danielle Allen: “We’ve lost the talent for mutual respect on campus. Here’s how we get it back.” (WaPo)