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February 25, 2005
I think Larry Summers is somewhat conflicted. He seems to have good instincts: he called out Cornell West's typically vaporous scholarship, and accepted the invitation to offer challenging commentary at his latest, most infamous meeting. But he's apologized to everyone in sight for his latest non-offense; I wish this MIT and Harvard alumnus would stand up to the postmodernist lynch-mob.
Peggy Noonan has a great take, (as usual) on Summers in the WSJ:
Tuesday he faced an angry faculty gathering where "his ears were pinned back," as one reporter said. Summers now seems to be saying he made a mistake in airing the idea of gender-related differences in the interests and aptitudes of scholars. But here is what he may be forgetting, for people under pressure often lose track of their lack of culpability: Summers did nothing wrong. He thought aloud about an interesting question in a colorful and un-defended way. That's what universities are for. [...]
These [faculty critics] are the worst of both worlds, frightened and so ferocious, antique and so aggressive. Will they exorcise Summers from their midst? Stay tuned. But cheers to the Ivy League students who refuse to be impressed by these relics.
Brit Hume recently interviewed new Harvard grad Duncan Currie, and he confirms that there is significant support for Summers:
HUME: What about the — there was also, I gather, a knot of pro-Summers protesters. What about them? How many were they?
CURRIE: They — I didn’t see them in the vicinity — I was at the anti-Summers protest. There were random students who would walk by and shout a pro-Summers statement or two.
HUME: Slogan?
CURRIE: But yes, one guy, one puckish young fellow ran by and said, "Larry is the man." But I think pro-Summers statement has been concentrated on a Web site, StudentsforLarry.org and it was started by three young women who wrote an op-ed piece last Friday in The Crimson expressing their support for President Summers. And on the Web site, you can sign your name to support the op-ed piece.
And the last time I checked, which was about 1:30 Tuesday afternoon, there were over 420 students, parents and alumni, mainly students who had signed it. So, in my opinion, the vast majority of students, if they’re not pro-Summers, they’re at the very least anti- anti-Summers. And that they may think what he said was a bit foolish or a bit irresponsible, but they do not think that this is a hangable offense by any means.
Newt Gingrich on C-Span today said that the elimination of tenure is the solution to the intellectual monopoly held by the tenured radicals on our university campuses. I'm starting to think he's right.
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Tracked on February 26, 2005 08:33 PM
