Free Republic

American higher education seems to be in a permanent state of crisis. Almost monthly, a federal court has occasion to reprimand some college or university for improperly chilling speech, even as some students continue to complain that campuses are too friendly to the wrong kind of speakers. Many institutions have cut back on faculty hiring, even as the cost of tuition grows. Two basic, and mutually reinforcing, phenomena are behind the chaos on campus. First, colleges and universities have subordinated their historic mission of free inquiry to a new pursuit of social justice. Consider the remarkable evolution of Yale’s mission...

There is some irony in this report from the SFChronicle about Borders book sellers chain. They have decided not to carry the April-May issue of Free Inquiry because it contains the controversial drawings of the Prophet Muhammad that sent Muslims into such a tizzy a few months ago. Here is Borders Bookseller's reason for this ban: "For us, the safety and security of our customers and employees is a top priority, and we believe that carrying this issue could challenge that priority," Borders Group Inc. spokeswoman Beth Bingham said Wednesday. I guess we have one more western corporation/media outlet running...

Science censors itself for war effort Journals try to keep sensitive findings out of terrorists' hands The world's leading science journals will no longer publish details of research that might somehow aid terrorists, even if it means withholding information that could advance scientific knowledge. The unusual self-censorship agreement was announced at a major gathering of scientists this weekend. It reflects the current social climate in which security is paramount -- but some experts say it should be viewed with caution because of its potential to stifle research. The new policy has been adopted by 32 publications and scientific associations, including...