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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group
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To: JohnM who wrote (46383)9/24/2002 8:26:10 PM
From: frankw1900  Read Replies (1) of 281500
 
Summers has a history of inflammatory statements going way back and it's not unusual for newly installed university presidents to not yet realize all their statements are read as presidential even though they think of themselves as just talking as another faculty member or as a private citizen. But the problem is that it gives credence to the argument that criticisms of Sharon's policies are anti-Semitic.

Bad climate right now.


I'll say it's a bad climate. Now the leader of a great university isn't supposed to have a position?

Not only is he not supposed to have a position, but he's not supposed to have a position on what his university does.

The petitioners are demanding the university take a specifically anti-Israel position. Summers isn't supposed to have a position on that?

Are you saying the president of a university isn't supposed to enter into a debate?

Or only not into this debate?

Is he supposed to stand for nothing?

Even if Summers were wrong in his argument ('anti-semitic in effect if not intent') - I don't think he is - I'd still applaud him. He is the leader in his community and he's leading when he tells the members what he stands for.

Summers used exactly the right forum (intra-university, attended by students and faculty) to tell his community what he stands for.

In a short speech, argued with clarity and rigour, he reached conclusions unacceptable to some.

Well, gosh, how about that! He's a leader of a place which is supposed to put a premium on intellectual life and he's taking his responsibilities seriously. Admirable isn't it?
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