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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group
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To: frankw1900 who wrote (46753)9/24/2002 9:04:11 PM
From: JohnM  Read Replies (3) of 281500
 
Ah, frank, hello. Let me take them one at a time.

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

Definitely did not argue that. I argued he took the wrong position by calling the petitioners anti-semitic.

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

He most certainly should and did. And it's completely, in my view, right and proper for him to reject the petition. I'm not arguing against that. My argument is that he should not have labeled the petitioners anti-semitic.

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?

Ah, and why, if I think he took the wrong position, would that be characterized as thinking he should take no position? Beats me.

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?

Definitely not. Because one of the very highest purposes of a university is to encourage criticism, to encourage students to think for themselves. If you turn around and say to students and faculty that criticism of Sharon's government is anti-semitic, that's discouraging thought.

I doubt this helped but who knows.
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