A wonderful article from the "woe-is-us" political Right.

As usual the Right really wants us to believe that there is no "Right"; that they indeed are the "moderates" and all there is is the Left.

A simple read of the article shows how it is filled with Right-wing rhetoric and catch phrases. "...new McCarthyism" or

"...a hostile atmosphere to mainstream or conservative principles and the intolerant suppression of ideas that do not fit into a far-left worldview" or

"...lecturers may also choose textbooks that promote a particular ideology, or present political opinions as fact" Gasp! or

"...left leaning cultural warriors" (Right-wing chorus) or best of all

"...far-left opinions have been allowed to flourish on university campuses." Allowed?! Call the army! What? Should they have been stopped specifically?

There is way too much to comment on here: donations to the Democratic Party - oh my god! Get the army back!

And best of all connecting "...this continued ideological indoctrination" is affecting numeracy and literacy.

Get a grip. The Right (and this author) is just as ideological as the Left. A pox on all your houses.

John

a chilling campaign, courtesy of chillingly nasty and dishonest political creeps.

I take your point that diversity is a good thing in university departments, but I think this line of argument is jumping a little at 'ideological' shadows.

At least insofar as many social science departments are concerned, the fear of the Leftist/Marxist extreme indoctrination through our university system is, I suspect, a little misplaced. Indeed, you would be hard pressed to find academics who are politically extreme sitting at either end of the spectrum in many departments (assuming you even think the spectrum is still particularly relevant).

The anecdotes in this piece aside, it is a danger to confuse reasoned argument as an essential part of teaching (irrespective of whether it is perceived as leaning left or right), with polemic indoctrination. Jumping at 'ideological' shadows is often just a waste of time.

I fully agree with the author.

The situation is also occurring in high schools, where students now have to be very cautious even when asking a teacher a question (particularly if you are male and white).

About time we had people talking about this.

Some of these negative comments are typical of what goes on at uni, as soon as you voice an opinion different to the accepted "group think" you get shut down.

How about this from a course reader: "John Howard and his 'blue-eyed aussie cultural jihadiststs' are the real fundamentalists to watch out for in society."

Fundamentalist? Cultural jihadist? This sort of language applies to Nazis and terrorists, not to a popularly elected Prime Minister of Australia over 12 years. Sure, nothing wrong with disagreeing with him but this sort of depiction as a statement of fact is a joke.

If you can't see this as a problem, then you've clearly got your blinkers on - free speech and intellectual diversity are what make a free society and good university.

...aannnnnnd... RenegadeScience takes first prize for PROVING exactly what the title says "Too much preaching" :)

I thought that crown was mine..but clearly not.

Renegade.. you just preached, blathered and blah'd. You attacked, but didn't explore much.

I have to FULLY agree at least in principle that we need to explore issues in depth.

I am constantly charged with all manner of intellectual sins, and research inadequacies but seldom do the attacks exceed a mindless, unthought out adhominen, except CJ and Pericles do choose their words quite nicely, and are a pleasure to read at times :) I learn a lot from them.

Newest lesson "Belicose" :) thanx CJ.

One of these days.. whether it's Left/Right or Islam/Christianity or Feminism/Paternalism people will actually engage on the ISSUE..and defeat or disprove it on reasonable, well researched grounds.

Bugsy did quite well on the evolution thread.. *Point 2 Bugsy*....

Ginxy bombs out dismally on most threads, descending into some twilight zone of rabid depressed frothing socialist anger... but theres new medication around for that I think :)

No Ginxy..not an adhomimen..just observation of fact which any reader can quickly verify.

Vanilla? hmm she has done less preaching and more invetigating lately.. good work.

and ...don't bother all youz.. I can predict every syllable of 'rage' :)

Love and best wishes to you all. (really)