Newsmax is
reporting that "[a]t the University of North Carolina, three incoming freshmen [are suing] over a reading assignment they say offends their Christian beliefs. In Colorado and Indiana, a national conservative group publicizes student allegations of left-wing bias by professors. Faculty get hate mail and are pictured in mock "wanted" posters; at least one college says a teacher received a death threat."
Why is this happening?
Because the Radical Right has succeeded in whipping the media, convincing them that "balance" and "opinion" are much more important than "accuracy" and "facts."
Now, it's academia's turn.
Why should we be concenred?
Joe Losco, a professor of political science at Ball State University in Indiana, hits it right on the head: When academics are targeted in this way, "[f]aculty retrench. They are less willing to discuss contemporary problems and I think everyone loses out [...] It puts a chill in the air."
Naturally, the Irrational Right says that a chill is in order. Because they are not interested in truth or facts or evidence or reasoned debate or an informed public. They want "balance" in the syllabus, even if it represents inferior scholarship -- and we all know where that leads.
Fox.edu, anyone?