By Dave Ruthenberg, Columnist
“In a democracy, dissent is an act of faith.”
J. William Fulbright
One can only wonder what the late Sen. Fulbright would have to say about the climate in America today when it comes to dissent.
Really, is there anything more un-American than trying to shut down debate? We, as Americans, cherish our ability to express our thoughts, in written or spoken word without fear of reprisal. But lately we have been seeing an ever-increasing full-court press to suppress dissenting viewpoints across our political landscape. And it should frighten anyone who believes in the free exchange of thoughts and ideas.
By now we are all aware of the Obama administration’s silly attempt to shut out and marginalize Fox News. The whole incident made Obama look petty and childish, not to mention appearing to be afraid of having to answer difficult questions. But it really should have come as no surprise. After all, Obama and the members of his administration cut their political teeth in a thug environment.
No, I am not referring to the rough and tumble world of Chicago politics, the home base for Obama and his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. I am talking about a place far more sinister. It is a place that hides its true intentions behind the veneer of higher education. Yes, some of our most prestigious learning institutions have become nothing more than bastions of intolerance.
Want to understand why Obama wishes to suppress any voice of media dissent? Well, it was probably learned from his days at Columbia and Harvard if the experience of Jim Gilchrist and the Minuteman Project are any indication.
The Minuteman Project was founded in 2004 by Gilchrist, a former newspaper reporter and Marine veteran with an interest in stemming the tide of illegal immigration. Illegal immigration has become one of the most intense, hot-button issues out there and critics have incorrectly painted Gilchrist as being nothing more than a xenophobe. Whether one agrees with Gilchrist, however, one should support his right to expression, especially when invited to speak. But such is not the case in the world of academia.
Gilchrist first experienced the academic world’s version of the open exchange of ideas in 2006 after being invited to speak at Columbia University (Obama’s alma mater) by the College Republicans, an officially recognized campus organization. But just 45 seconds into his presentation, the stage was rushed by those opposing his views and a melee, replete with fisticuffs, ensued prompting the cancellation of the program. The intolerant crowd was clearly pleased with itself, chanting, “Asian, black, brown and white, we smashed the Minutemen tonight!” What a fine display of tolerance. The students involved received nothing more than written reprimands.
Fast forward now to 2009 and the Minuteman Project is again invited to speak at an Ivy League institution, the same school from which Obama earned his law degree, Harvard. However, Gilchrist would never get a chance to speak as just five days before his scheduled appearance on Oct. 17, the Harvard Undergraduate Legal Committee rescinded its invitation after being threatened by campus radicals with unspecified disruptive tactics. Gilchrist summed up the current intolerant atmosphere on America’s campuses when he stated, “that future graduates of the most renowned university in the world are literally afraid to support the very cornerstone of the foundation of our nation, namely free speech, ought to frighten anyone looking to America as the beacon of liberty, freedom and justice for all.”
If our most revered educational institutions are setting such poor examples by being intolerant to dissent, and willing to look the other way when thuggish tactics are used to suppress opposing views, should we really expect anything different out of the students who matriculate from these institutions?
The move to stamp out primarily conservative thought on campus has become insidious. One parent recently related how his son’s college professor told his class anybody who uses Fox News as a source would receive a failing grade. So, the message is clear from the halls of the White House to the halls of academia: Toe the line or suffer the consequences.
Dissent, either from the left or the right, should be cherished and encouraged. To do less shatters the very foundation upon which our nation was established.
Ruthenberg is copy editor at the News & Eagle. He can be reached at daver@enidnews.com.
