Kevin Gannon: UChicago's Anti-Safe Spaces Letter Isn't About Academic Freedom. It's About Power

   Wow this is bad.
   I mean...not irrevocably-wrong-about-everything / rotten-to-the-core bad...if, y'know, that's your standard...
   But really bad.
   Or, at least: it's really bad on one read/skim. I can't even bear to read this shit anymore it's all so bad. And lemme tellya, I try to be open to the opposing viewpoints on this issue, and have tried to make their case for them in a couple of places. Even as horrifically disastrous as I think it is.
   The only thing I'm going to say in any detail about this is: it's long been a theme on the extreme left that all political issues are actually about power, and appeals to rightness / justice are mere stalking-horses. Like so many theses beloved by radicals, that one comes and goes as it's convenient. Power is all there is...all else is an illusion...except for, y'know, the "social justice" left ...they're... somehow...exempt...they only alone have escaped to tell thee... But those they disagree with are only motivated by power... Magically, the thesis that everyone is always only motivated by power actually ends up becoming everyone not on the left is always only motivated by power...
   So...trying to stop a minority of radicals from dictating what the majority can think and discuss...see...that's wrong. See? SEE??