Conference taveng::bagels

942.0. "A TALE OF TWO PROFESSORS" by SUBWAY::HOFF () Sat May 19 1990 01:07

Here is an interesting controversy that is going on right now at New York city
University. It has been covered in both the ny times and other papers.
	It appears as though there are two tenured professors both with openly
racists views on genetic superiority. One, Prof Levin teaches philosophy and
has published books claiming that blacks are inferior based on IQ tests and
white people are justified in fearing them because a high percent are
criminals.
	 The second is Prof Jefferies who is chairman of the black studies
department. His views that he openly teaches in class are the following.
Caucasians are the ice people and are inherently greedy and imperialistic
while African people are kind and generous. He claims it has something to do 
with the melatonin of the skin that is the gateing factor.
 He also likes to single out the "rich jews" who control things.

	Meanwhile, there have been a number of protests by students to get 
rid of Prof Levin. They have marched into his class and demanded he stop
teaching. There have been no student protest against Prof Jeffferies. Although
some facility have said they both are a problem, they insist on academic
freedom being the main issue.

	I myself can't see supporting either one of these supremacists.
However it seems very unfair for the students to solely protest one
but not the other. As for academic freedom , would you allow a professor
of science to teach creationism?

Regards,
	Phil

    This subject is better dealt with in soapbox. You have no idea what
    sorts of merda de toro so called "scientists" all over the world are
    "teaching".
    
    So, why bother with these two mavericks?
    
    Don't get upset because one is blamed, and not the other. Just give
    both of them time to ridicule themselves. It would be worrying if NONE
    of these two characters got any stick.
    
    Relaxedly yours,
    
    Chris

Well, I'm not sure this is necessarily a proper "Bagels" topic, but
I'll put in my two agorot worth.

There was an article in Time a couple of weeks back about the increase
in racism and intolerance on American campuses.  One of the people
interviewed was the president of the "White Students League" at Temple
University.  Without even reading what he said, my immediate association
*just from the name** (and I'm willing to bet most of you had the same
association) was an image of KKK-types, skinheads, and assorted bigots
and anti-semites.  Then it occurred to me that where I went to school
there was a "Black Students League" (almost exactly the same name) and
no one gave it a second thought.

Without justifying it, I think part of the increase in white racism on
campus is a backlash to the un-critical acceptance of black racism.
Similarly, the behaviour of left-wing types in allowing freedom of speech
to those whose views they disagree with, has not been exemplary.

But perhaps, there is a more appropriate forum for this discussion...