This was always the plan . . .
Reason got in the way
Sometimes, you are given a gift that exceeds your greatest hopes. That happened today. Two professors at ASU published an essay that is the feature on The Chronicle of Higher Education. The title: "Dear Administrators: Enough With Free-Speech Rhetoric." The subtitle: "It concedes too much to right-wing agendas." They said the quiet part out loud and admit they are trying to censor right-wing ideas. But free speech keeps getting in the way.
What is their argument? First, they lament that professors aren't getting enough respect. And why aren't they getting enough respect? Because Americans don't listen to experts. And why don't they listen to experts? Because they believe in democracy and that everyone should have a voice. But, the authors tell us, knowledge isn't democratic. And on this, they are right. We don't vote to determine the truth to the answer for 2+2. Their conclusion? As the experts, you must listen to us about which ideas are correct. They expose how condescending they are, and it turns out, right-wing ideas are not correct.
They commit the fallacy of a false dilemma. Either knowledge is democratic or you must listen to us, the experts. And these experts teach various forms of Marxism, oppression studies, intersectionality, evils of whiteness, etc. You must listen to them and stop questioning their assumptions.
But that is precisely where their false dilemma falls apart. You do not need expert knowledge to use Reason to see that the presuppositions of Marxism and oppression studies are false. They want to claim elite status and put their ideas beyond questioning by the masses. But all humans can use Reason to understand that presuppositions like "all is matter," "oppression is due to political and economic issues," and "access to material goods gives a person happiness."
The problem isn't free speech. It is a failure to use Reason by secular professors who then wonder why no one respects them. Parents, students, donors, legislators, and pastors are more and more aware of how the secular university has become a place for pushing radical ideologies. The problem for them is that we can all use Reason to see that what they teach is false.
Their solution is to take away free speech. Will you remain quiet while that happens?
If the Marxists want a "university" where only their ideas are welcome, I say go ahead and have at it. We'll be here to witness the intellectual cesspool that you create. Oh, but there's one catch. You have to leave your public funding behind. Yeah, I didn't think so - after all, the goal is to impose your ideology on everyone else and bill them for the privilege of being indoctrinated.