This sentiment has been bouncing around in my head for awhile, that there is no ideal that Americans in general, and our leaders in particular, will not sacrifice for money. I take your point that the right has some type of idealism, but it is the crude idealism of having someone to shit on. Other than that, I’m pretty sure all their other talking points - freedom of expression, individual liberty, etc - are shown the door the minute they’d have to grant them to people outside their sphere. In short, they don’t really believe in these things at any foundational level.
I agree with you that Trumpworld generally only believes in power and lies about almost every ideal that they espouse to justify it, but I think The Right does have some strongly held genuine ideals, like racism and religion.
Hypocrisy also seems like one of their genuine ideals.
"If you're ever doing business with a religious son of a bitch, GET IT IN WRITING! There's no way to tell how they'll try to fuck you with the good lord in on the deal."
These “ideals” only exist in order to form the coalition needed to pass tax breaks for billionaires. I’m not saying they don’t exist, but they are not foundational.
Especially ironic how they also contend that these schools are run (or "infested" I think they like to say) by "radical Marxists." Well, then something must be very wrong with these Marxists. When attacked by capitalists, they agree with everything and instantly accept external control by those with whom they are ideologically opposed. I guess it's like the "WMD" in Iraq - we know there are Marxists there because we can't find any.
Very well said. Brown had vocal Jewish students protesting the war in Gaza and Paxson cracked down on it. I'm sure she and the corporation were delighted to throw those students into the wood chipper.
Why hasn't there been more clamoring for these schools to use their ample endowments as a buffer against these funding cuts? Harvard has $53 billion, Columbia $14 billion, Brown $7 billion... There are some fig leaf excuses about annual spending caps and purpose-restricted funds, but these can be worked around (e.g. donors relax restrictions, spending caps are lifted like many schools did during the pandemic).
Another point: they (media, universities, big law, et al) are so anti-solidarity they can’t even organize to present a unified front to MAGA. Too busy trying to find an angle in the new regime.
Why aren't the Ivys joining together against this madness? (It's a rhetorical question answered in full by you, HN.) It's disgusting and disheartening to watch these extraordinarily rich and powerful organizations - universities, law firms, corporations! - CAVE to this bullshit. Because - yeah. Capitalism sucks, y'all. Cowardly sycophants.
Just for the record, the conference on the history of Judaism at Brown has been in the works for months and is already scheduled. It isn't a concession. My (very much anti-Israeli-policy) wife has been on the speakers list for some time.
Thanks for this well articulated piece of writing, Hamilton.
"These schools do not believe in anything. A fuller way to say this is that, like many institutions that come to thrive under capitalism, these schools do not have any ideological values other than their own flourishing."
For me this begs the question: why would people choose these universities when there are better in other countries?
There are so many things to detest in this agreement and Brown's decision to make it, but the one that strikes closest to home for me is the promise to end gender affirming care for minors.
Not mentioned, but important in this, is that Brown University runs a hospital - the largest in the state - with a pediatric wing, Hasbro Children's Hospital, which has thousands of patients (tens of thousands?) who receive their primary care there.
I don't have the numbers, but there must be at least hundreds, if not thousands, of children being treated humanely for gender disphoria who as of tomorrow, presumably, will no longer be able to receive treatment there any further.
It is a disgusting betrayal.
I cannot imagine being a pediatrician forced to explain to a family that they can no longer provide care to their child. And it's even worse, of course, for that family and the child.
A lawyer will tell you that the language you cite from the agreement as to future enforcement actions is solid. It accomplishes exactly what you say the Trump administration will do in the future. Essentially, it confines the agreement to past “unlawful” behavior and allows the administration to go after the university for any future “unlawful” behavior. I suspect this type of language is standard in many agreements with the DOJ in civil rights cases. The difference is that this administration has no concern for actual civil rights enforcement. Instead, civil rights is just an excuse to bully schools.
This sentiment has been bouncing around in my head for awhile, that there is no ideal that Americans in general, and our leaders in particular, will not sacrifice for money. I take your point that the right has some type of idealism, but it is the crude idealism of having someone to shit on. Other than that, I’m pretty sure all their other talking points - freedom of expression, individual liberty, etc - are shown the door the minute they’d have to grant them to people outside their sphere. In short, they don’t really believe in these things at any foundational level.
I agree with you that Trumpworld generally only believes in power and lies about almost every ideal that they espouse to justify it, but I think The Right does have some strongly held genuine ideals, like racism and religion.
Hypocrisy also seems like one of their genuine ideals.
"If you're ever doing business with a religious son of a bitch, GET IT IN WRITING! There's no way to tell how they'll try to fuck you with the good lord in on the deal."
-William S. Burroughs.
Strong yes to both. A very specific version of religion but I think I'm commenting in a forum where the audience understands that.
These “ideals” only exist in order to form the coalition needed to pass tax breaks for billionaires. I’m not saying they don’t exist, but they are not foundational.
Especially ironic how they also contend that these schools are run (or "infested" I think they like to say) by "radical Marxists." Well, then something must be very wrong with these Marxists. When attacked by capitalists, they agree with everything and instantly accept external control by those with whom they are ideologically opposed. I guess it's like the "WMD" in Iraq - we know there are Marxists there because we can't find any.
I think they keep the Marxists out of the administrative office usually.
Not according to the vexatious litigant who occupies the Oval Office.
Love the analogy!
The Marxists are hiding!
Liberal Jews know this is bad for America and for the Jewish people.
This is a right wing Christian attack on secular education. For which the Jews are the intended scapegoat. They might not see it. Along with Muslims.
This pits one minority against the other.
Of course all students should feel safe.
Peaceful protests against Israeli actions are legal.
This attack on free speech is not.
Brown is caving.
Columbia caved.
More have and will.
Simple human behavior.
Lots of money at stake.
Will voters wake up?
Nah. Most can't spell Brown.
Let alone understand what is really happening.
Very well said. Brown had vocal Jewish students protesting the war in Gaza and Paxson cracked down on it. I'm sure she and the corporation were delighted to throw those students into the wood chipper.
I live near Brown: I gave the kids $500. In material support of dinner. Am I off to CECOT? Fucking assholes.
Why hasn't there been more clamoring for these schools to use their ample endowments as a buffer against these funding cuts? Harvard has $53 billion, Columbia $14 billion, Brown $7 billion... There are some fig leaf excuses about annual spending caps and purpose-restricted funds, but these can be worked around (e.g. donors relax restrictions, spending caps are lifted like many schools did during the pandemic).
Another point: they (media, universities, big law, et al) are so anti-solidarity they can’t even organize to present a unified front to MAGA. Too busy trying to find an angle in the new regime.
Why aren't the Ivys joining together against this madness? (It's a rhetorical question answered in full by you, HN.) It's disgusting and disheartening to watch these extraordinarily rich and powerful organizations - universities, law firms, corporations! - CAVE to this bullshit. Because - yeah. Capitalism sucks, y'all. Cowardly sycophants.
Just for the record, the conference on the history of Judaism at Brown has been in the works for months and is already scheduled. It isn't a concession. My (very much anti-Israeli-policy) wife has been on the speakers list for some time.
I would expect universities, like nation-states, are labelling such pre-existing initiatives as concessions. Good chance it gets overlooked.
Thanks for this well articulated piece of writing, Hamilton.
"These schools do not believe in anything. A fuller way to say this is that, like many institutions that come to thrive under capitalism, these schools do not have any ideological values other than their own flourishing."
For me this begs the question: why would people choose these universities when there are better in other countries?
Are there better universities in other countries? If so, it’s certainly not something I read about.
It depends on how you define better. US universities mostly definitely have the stranglehold on prestige, but far less so for content
A quick search revealed these, Brett. https://www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings
There are so many things to detest in this agreement and Brown's decision to make it, but the one that strikes closest to home for me is the promise to end gender affirming care for minors.
Not mentioned, but important in this, is that Brown University runs a hospital - the largest in the state - with a pediatric wing, Hasbro Children's Hospital, which has thousands of patients (tens of thousands?) who receive their primary care there.
I don't have the numbers, but there must be at least hundreds, if not thousands, of children being treated humanely for gender disphoria who as of tomorrow, presumably, will no longer be able to receive treatment there any further.
It is a disgusting betrayal.
I cannot imagine being a pediatrician forced to explain to a family that they can no longer provide care to their child. And it's even worse, of course, for that family and the child.
"First, do no harm."
A lawyer will tell you that the language you cite from the agreement as to future enforcement actions is solid. It accomplishes exactly what you say the Trump administration will do in the future. Essentially, it confines the agreement to past “unlawful” behavior and allows the administration to go after the university for any future “unlawful” behavior. I suspect this type of language is standard in many agreements with the DOJ in civil rights cases. The difference is that this administration has no concern for actual civil rights enforcement. Instead, civil rights is just an excuse to bully schools.
This is why I subscribe- their hypocrisy is perverse, their capitulation contemptible. We need all the truth tellers in dark times
Have a wonderful vacation.
Seriously: enjoy!
Lester Maddox and George Wallace would have been so proud had they seen this. Scum floats.
I read that settlement this morning and thought the same thing.
Your analysis extends to many supposedly liberal/progressive individuals, too.
As we have previously learned from HamNo:
There are Enemies, and then there are Cowards.
An excellent essay. Thank you for spelling out the shocking terms of the “agreement”. These are terrifying times.