The African American Museum has a lot going for it. The architecture does create an aesthetically compelling experience. The subject matter is broad, and it wouldn’t be fair to characterize it as Woke: The Museum. But I think there’s more problems than they get into. Some of the more contemporary bits are quite slanted; the museum takes exactly the unsubtle view of police-involved shootings that Glenn and John don’t. The current visiting exhibit has a lot of “post-colonial theory” nonsense. But you can definitely have a good experience visiting the museum; I feel that it’s more of a good museum contaminated by some bad ideas than it is CRT territory. Logistically, it offends me that you need tickets to get into the NMAAHC; this is a terrible COVID-era trend that ruins the casual walkthrough that typifies the Smithsonian experience. It’s also mind-boggling to me how many problems the museum has with broken escalators and water fountains that don’t work for a gazillion dollar project that’s less than ten years old.
I don’t think it’s anywhere near the standard bearer for black history museums. The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum was probably the best one I’ve ever been to. It certainly doesn’t pull punches. The Legacy Museum, in Montgomery AL is probably the maximalist version of a museum that is 100% about grievance, including the attached memorial that has county-by-county listings of lynching victims. The National Civil Rights Museum (the old Lorraine Motel in Memphis) is an amazing experienced with a lot of nuance about MLK himself but broader subject matter (thought I was insulted by their intro movie emphasizing how they’re sponsored by the Ford Motor Company because of that company’s strong stance against racism; nobody told that to Henry Ford). The Penn Center in coastal SC is an amazing story of black perseverance. I was compelled by the Pin Point Heritage museum in Savannah (Clarence Thomas territory). The haunting tabby buildings at Kingsley Plantation near Jacksonville, the triumphant International African American Museum at the dock where slaves were once unloaded in Charleston, the majestic National Underground Railroad Museum that highlights the Cincinnati waterfront…
I don’t think that Ibram Kendi and Nikole Hannah Brown or whatever deserve credit for this, but African American history museums are really having a boom right now, and the Smithsonian’s wouldn’t make my top five, and I’m a DC guy.
I hope Glenn is ok. Perhaps it is a cold or allergies, but he sounded like he was upset about something. As far as I'm concerned with recent events, I don't see what value the Manhattan Institute added. Personally, I'm glad they are gone. I didn't subscribe so an organization can dictate the opinions of Glenn or John. I don't always agree with the opinions of the people I subscribe to, but I want to listen to differing opinions from people I respect. I want to see where my blindspots are and what I could be missing as I see what is going on in the world.
Also, I don't see Glenn or John causing this overreaction to DEI. The left side of the aisle hold a lot of social power and an ideology that was harmful to the American public. We should't say "WTF?" when politicians and celebrities are calling for abolishing police? I too feel the loudest voices with unhinged ideas are now on the right side of the aisle and they now need to be challenged on their ideas. I didn't subscribe to win a popularity contest.
Really enjoyed the conversation today, especially John’s thoughts on the NMAAHC museum. I look forward to reading the article. And I appreciate Glenn’s honest and open struggle with important issues.
On a different but related note, while volunteering at my grandkid’s school today I witnessed a first grader quite angry and upset because some other boys were making fun of him. The teacher tried to diffuse the conflict by talking about the importance of the hurting boy feeling included. The involved individuals were Chinese, black and Caucasian. I found this hopeful.
It seems so unfortunate that “inclusion,” like “equity” and “diversity,” seem to have lost their individual importance and instead are linked together as to essentially form one ugly word, “DEI.” John often addresses issues by saying that rather than people doing the hard work and going deeper into issues, they take an easy way out. It’s my feeling that John and Glenn, like most people referring to “DEI” are doing the exact same thing.
I believe in inclusion as a positive thing in society. I believe in equity as a positive thing in our society. I believe diversity contributes to a better society and world.
Could we stop taking the lazy, easy way of addressing these important concepts by using “DEI” and get back to embracing the individual positive contributions they make to a healthy, vibrant society?
I do have to believe that Glenn was playing Devils advocate about lamenting the loss of offices manned by blacks people because the poor inner city kid no longer has someone to identify with. That goes against his entire humanistic philosophy and is counter to his argument about other issues when it comes to the race question. Blacks can’t make it without special treatment,etc…
If they are going to have safe places and spaces for college aged kids to feel comfortable… guess what… we need Native American, Jewish, adults coming from poor white rural broken homes, kids of Irish alcoholism parents, etc… identity based on racial characteristics and the many other subgroups need to go away. A person must learn and accept that a person that does not look like them or does not come from the same background can be trusted and they have to learn to accept their guidance and empathy or we might as well go back to segregation
Seems to be the opposite of a school like Brown University.
I'd love to hear some discussion of that contrast.
I've always felt ripped off that I attended Stanford during the years (hippy backlash) of VERY loose requirements. (Now I take continuing education to read Dante and Proust and Rhetoric via Continuing Ed.) If I had the time and money I'd love to do their MLA. For fun.
Another aspect of St. John's College(s) that I find interesting is that while it is intellectually rigorous, it is not as selective as the 'selective' schools (Ivys, Little Ivys, Public Ivys) and I would love to debate who gets the superior education.
The argument about music theory is about the death of expertise. I don't know how to explain it correctly (I need an economist like Glenn to help me) but my sense it is a side effect of neoliberalism. There's too much money floating around which allows people with whacky theories like Ewell (or Kendi) to get uptake.
I’m a music teacher and happen to be black. The idea of music theory being “racist” is offensive. My eyes rolled so hard upon hearing that lol. I mean geez, the nerve of that musicologist. I’m like Glenn on this one when he says Dostoevsky is mine! Music theory is MINE!
John’s struggle with the decline of music theory is so interesting. He sees something he loves dying but because he is still a “man of the left” and fears alienating friends with similar mindsets, he does not do what needs to be done: fighting back against the people that are destroying something he loves, the purveyors of CRT theory who push a lesser black composer over Wagner or Bach.
This is a form of knowing cowardice. True change is made when people have the courage to tell people they know and love, “hey, what you are doing is wrong.”
I lost the affection of friends and family when I told them I was voting for a man I deeply dislike and find corrupt and immoral (Trump). Some won’t talk to me or are angry. I did it because I love this country and saw Kamala Harris and wokism destroying it.
Why doesn’t John have similar courage? Glenn did lose friends when he became conservative.
John provides valuable insights but he will never be a true agent of change if he is more worried about offending those in his NYC progressive circle of friends than saving something he loves such as Music theory.
Another informative and entertaining episode. I like what John said at the 23:00 mark concerning the music composer Victor Herbert. There are people who cannot think outside of a social justice box. There is an oversaturation of them. The problem is that there are people who are not comfortable leaving the nest because the price is too high. And it takes a lot more work to research other perspectives, or study other cultures such as Russian, Chinese, or Italian.
I grew up in the inner-city as a descendant of Caribbean immigrants. But I like reading and watching documentaries about the history of other cultures such as Italy, Russia, and Spain. I also like listening to musical scores from Hans Zimmer, Ramin Djawadi, and Howard Shore. And I really don't care about someone calling me a "sell out." But I also understand that there are other blacks who are not built to face such scrutiny. But it can get very dull when you're just following the group think. That's only one of the many crosses to bear.
Another problem is what Glenn eluded to in the end regarding Michelle Obama and objective standards. You can get grouped into stereotypes when a leading figure of the culture removes agency in regards to human development.
All of this is what makes black identity subjective. The price of perception takes place. It is hard for people to take the culture seriously.
Generally, people will tease you for being different. But it's another level within black culture, because of how subjective the culture is as a whole. There are certain factions of the culture who have a vendetta against Western civilization. So they are very tribal. They can't stand a black person like John McWhorter or myself embracing the so-called white culture. So they would label us as "sell outs" because they cannot see anything beyond a racial lens.
I have been watching this since grade school. But it's sad how the adults engage in the same ignorance. It's been going on for many generations.
I took sommelier level courses in wine tasting. I am able to still have fun with friends by telling them I’m about to put them to sleep describing varietal, conurbation, region, etc. I am willing to settle for them saying a wines tastes good or a wine is bad.
My brother-in-law is a classical music aficionado. I can’t get there with him, but I don’t dismiss his taste. We can agree on an appreciation for a variety of jazz styles. Is it possible that labeling one form of music as superior, is off putting?
I remember one New Year’s Eve with family tasting a vintage Dom Perignon with an off the shelf California sparkling wine. Family preferred the basic California wine. I was happy that they were happy.
Black culture is expensive enough to embrace Leontyne Price, Grace Bumbry, and ballerina Misty Copeland. I think your view of Black culture is limited.
I appreciate your feedback. But anyone can see that black American culture does not have a standard way of thinking. Go back to Dr. Henry Gates Jr in 2016 on C-Span. "There are 42 million ways to be black!"
This creates a power vacuum for moral authority between different groups to fight like they're in a gang war. One man's ignorance becomes another mans identity and vice versa.
I, myself, don't care about fitting into the culture because I already paid a heavy price a long time ago. I did not fit in with many of the kids I encountered in the inner-city. They lived in their own world. A lot of the adults today remind me of those very kids because they fight each other the same way. Who is black enough? It's strange to see grown people fight in politics, business, entertainment, academia, journalism, and the clergy. The name calling gets passed as an intellectual argument. I was surrounded by kids who played by those same rules in the schoolyard, classroom, and cafeteria.
No one has the moral authority to make the declaration of What is considered black enough. And so the war wages on. Glenn and John talk about what is compromised through this feud. Human development and human dignity. Why? Because there is no standard. Anything goes!!! That's why you have the Michelle Obamas who speak the way they do. They remove agency. They remove excellence because they have a vendetta against whites.
Below is the 2016 link to Dr. Gates speaking about 42 millions ways of blackness. At the 36:36 mark, listen to what he says.
I have to give grace to those inner-city kids from my past because they were struggling with human development. What is the excuse for adults to imitate those children? I guess they are outlaws who operate with impunity. And we must excuse the name calling like "Uncle Tom and Oreo" because of America's past sins. There are factions within black culture who live by subjective truth. They define what blackness is at their own discretion. Now subjective truth is interchangeable with subjective ignorance. Again, no standard!!!
I’m confused. There are 42M ways to be Black, but you zero in on one aspect of the culture. Uncle Tom was the hero in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. I have no heard “Oreo” sine I was a child.
Black Republicans said Black Democrats were on the Democratic plantation. Black Democrats called Black Republicans “sellouts”.
42M ways to be Black. I don’t relate to most hiphop. I consider myself Black. Opera is not included in the televised portion of the Grammy Awards Blacks are not the only group dismissive of the genre.
Team Trump's approach to removing DEI from college campuses has been messy, as John McWhorter suggested.
In some cases, the impacts have been modest.
The US Naval Academy and the other service academies did a review of the books in their libraries and temporarily removed books that Team Trump might find objectionable. The initial purge at the Naval Academy involved 381 books. Use this link if you want to see the list:
A subsequent article from the Associated Press said that most of those books have been returned to library shelves and that only about 20 are being subjected to further review:
A class was eliminated, a few websites were taken down, and a dozen Northwestern staff members had their job titles changed to exclude DEI references. To put that number in context, Northwestern employs 4,300 full-time faculty members and 8,000 staff members:
An open question is whether the changes made by Northwestern will satisfy Team Trump and lead to the restoration of $700 million in federal funding freezes:
BILL ACKMAN: The wrong thing to do is to receive a letter from the administration and write back saying, “We’re doing nothing. In fact, we’re going to sue you." That’s what Harvard did.
What Harvard should have done was to say, “You know, President Trump, you make some good points. Taxpayer money coming to Harvard—that’s a privilege, not a right. And if taxpayer money is going to an institution, the institution cannot have massive amounts of administrative bloat, waste, or bureaucracy. We’re going to eliminate it. We’re going to hire AlixPartners or a restructuring firm. We’re going to take a 3G zero-based budgeting approach to the way we run our administration. Inefficiency is causing harm, and we’re wasting taxpayer money."
"Mr. President, you’re right. Harvard has become — there is not viewpoint diversity at Harvard. Students are self-censoring their remarks in classrooms. Faculty are doing the same because people are afraid to have real conversations."
You can’t learn. You go to college to be exposed to a broad array of ideas, and you’re not, that’s not happening at Harvard. Free speech is not happening at Harvard. So, you acknowledge the areas where the President is absolutely correct, and you say, “Look, we’re going to fix those areas, okay? We want to make a deal, Mr. President."
What have we seen from Trump? He asks for the moon, kind of shock and awe. Okay, same thing is true for Harvard. That most recent letter—you could argue it’s certainly overreaching in some of the elements, but he wants to make a deal.
Make a deal with the President, commit to fix these things, which, by the way, your alumni want you to fix. It’s in the best interest of Harvard, and treat shareholder and taxpayer money like a fiduciary. And they’re not doing that.
Place your bets and take your chances when it comes to whether the leaders of America's elite colleges and universities reach deals with Team Trump or take part in what could be a knock down, drag out fight.
The African American Museum has a lot going for it. The architecture does create an aesthetically compelling experience. The subject matter is broad, and it wouldn’t be fair to characterize it as Woke: The Museum. But I think there’s more problems than they get into. Some of the more contemporary bits are quite slanted; the museum takes exactly the unsubtle view of police-involved shootings that Glenn and John don’t. The current visiting exhibit has a lot of “post-colonial theory” nonsense. But you can definitely have a good experience visiting the museum; I feel that it’s more of a good museum contaminated by some bad ideas than it is CRT territory. Logistically, it offends me that you need tickets to get into the NMAAHC; this is a terrible COVID-era trend that ruins the casual walkthrough that typifies the Smithsonian experience. It’s also mind-boggling to me how many problems the museum has with broken escalators and water fountains that don’t work for a gazillion dollar project that’s less than ten years old.
I don’t think it’s anywhere near the standard bearer for black history museums. The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum was probably the best one I’ve ever been to. It certainly doesn’t pull punches. The Legacy Museum, in Montgomery AL is probably the maximalist version of a museum that is 100% about grievance, including the attached memorial that has county-by-county listings of lynching victims. The National Civil Rights Museum (the old Lorraine Motel in Memphis) is an amazing experienced with a lot of nuance about MLK himself but broader subject matter (thought I was insulted by their intro movie emphasizing how they’re sponsored by the Ford Motor Company because of that company’s strong stance against racism; nobody told that to Henry Ford). The Penn Center in coastal SC is an amazing story of black perseverance. I was compelled by the Pin Point Heritage museum in Savannah (Clarence Thomas territory). The haunting tabby buildings at Kingsley Plantation near Jacksonville, the triumphant International African American Museum at the dock where slaves were once unloaded in Charleston, the majestic National Underground Railroad Museum that highlights the Cincinnati waterfront…
I don’t think that Ibram Kendi and Nikole Hannah Brown or whatever deserve credit for this, but African American history museums are really having a boom right now, and the Smithsonian’s wouldn’t make my top five, and I’m a DC guy.
Excellent discussion.
I hope Glenn is ok. Perhaps it is a cold or allergies, but he sounded like he was upset about something. As far as I'm concerned with recent events, I don't see what value the Manhattan Institute added. Personally, I'm glad they are gone. I didn't subscribe so an organization can dictate the opinions of Glenn or John. I don't always agree with the opinions of the people I subscribe to, but I want to listen to differing opinions from people I respect. I want to see where my blindspots are and what I could be missing as I see what is going on in the world.
Also, I don't see Glenn or John causing this overreaction to DEI. The left side of the aisle hold a lot of social power and an ideology that was harmful to the American public. We should't say "WTF?" when politicians and celebrities are calling for abolishing police? I too feel the loudest voices with unhinged ideas are now on the right side of the aisle and they now need to be challenged on their ideas. I didn't subscribe to win a popularity contest.
Great conversation.
Really enjoyed the conversation today, especially John’s thoughts on the NMAAHC museum. I look forward to reading the article. And I appreciate Glenn’s honest and open struggle with important issues.
On a different but related note, while volunteering at my grandkid’s school today I witnessed a first grader quite angry and upset because some other boys were making fun of him. The teacher tried to diffuse the conflict by talking about the importance of the hurting boy feeling included. The involved individuals were Chinese, black and Caucasian. I found this hopeful.
It seems so unfortunate that “inclusion,” like “equity” and “diversity,” seem to have lost their individual importance and instead are linked together as to essentially form one ugly word, “DEI.” John often addresses issues by saying that rather than people doing the hard work and going deeper into issues, they take an easy way out. It’s my feeling that John and Glenn, like most people referring to “DEI” are doing the exact same thing.
I believe in inclusion as a positive thing in society. I believe in equity as a positive thing in our society. I believe diversity contributes to a better society and world.
Could we stop taking the lazy, easy way of addressing these important concepts by using “DEI” and get back to embracing the individual positive contributions they make to a healthy, vibrant society?
I do have to believe that Glenn was playing Devils advocate about lamenting the loss of offices manned by blacks people because the poor inner city kid no longer has someone to identify with. That goes against his entire humanistic philosophy and is counter to his argument about other issues when it comes to the race question. Blacks can’t make it without special treatment,etc…
If they are going to have safe places and spaces for college aged kids to feel comfortable… guess what… we need Native American, Jewish, adults coming from poor white rural broken homes, kids of Irish alcoholism parents, etc… identity based on racial characteristics and the many other subgroups need to go away. A person must learn and accept that a person that does not look like them or does not come from the same background can be trusted and they have to learn to accept their guidance and empathy or we might as well go back to segregation
I love the idea of a great books curriculum.
Seems to be the opposite of a school like Brown University.
I'd love to hear some discussion of that contrast.
I've always felt ripped off that I attended Stanford during the years (hippy backlash) of VERY loose requirements. (Now I take continuing education to read Dante and Proust and Rhetoric via Continuing Ed.) If I had the time and money I'd love to do their MLA. For fun.
Another aspect of St. John's College(s) that I find interesting is that while it is intellectually rigorous, it is not as selective as the 'selective' schools (Ivys, Little Ivys, Public Ivys) and I would love to debate who gets the superior education.
If only UATX were affordable for all.
The argument about music theory is about the death of expertise. I don't know how to explain it correctly (I need an economist like Glenn to help me) but my sense it is a side effect of neoliberalism. There's too much money floating around which allows people with whacky theories like Ewell (or Kendi) to get uptake.
I’m a music teacher and happen to be black. The idea of music theory being “racist” is offensive. My eyes rolled so hard upon hearing that lol. I mean geez, the nerve of that musicologist. I’m like Glenn on this one when he says Dostoevsky is mine! Music theory is MINE!
Why are my comments being removed?
I’m subscribed
So I'll stay subscribed?
Just kidding! Just kidding!
Funny
John’s struggle with the decline of music theory is so interesting. He sees something he loves dying but because he is still a “man of the left” and fears alienating friends with similar mindsets, he does not do what needs to be done: fighting back against the people that are destroying something he loves, the purveyors of CRT theory who push a lesser black composer over Wagner or Bach.
This is a form of knowing cowardice. True change is made when people have the courage to tell people they know and love, “hey, what you are doing is wrong.”
I lost the affection of friends and family when I told them I was voting for a man I deeply dislike and find corrupt and immoral (Trump). Some won’t talk to me or are angry. I did it because I love this country and saw Kamala Harris and wokism destroying it.
Why doesn’t John have similar courage? Glenn did lose friends when he became conservative.
John provides valuable insights but he will never be a true agent of change if he is more worried about offending those in his NYC progressive circle of friends than saving something he loves such as Music theory.
"Crossing Cultures"
Another informative and entertaining episode. I like what John said at the 23:00 mark concerning the music composer Victor Herbert. There are people who cannot think outside of a social justice box. There is an oversaturation of them. The problem is that there are people who are not comfortable leaving the nest because the price is too high. And it takes a lot more work to research other perspectives, or study other cultures such as Russian, Chinese, or Italian.
I grew up in the inner-city as a descendant of Caribbean immigrants. But I like reading and watching documentaries about the history of other cultures such as Italy, Russia, and Spain. I also like listening to musical scores from Hans Zimmer, Ramin Djawadi, and Howard Shore. And I really don't care about someone calling me a "sell out." But I also understand that there are other blacks who are not built to face such scrutiny. But it can get very dull when you're just following the group think. That's only one of the many crosses to bear.
Another problem is what Glenn eluded to in the end regarding Michelle Obama and objective standards. You can get grouped into stereotypes when a leading figure of the culture removes agency in regards to human development.
All of this is what makes black identity subjective. The price of perception takes place. It is hard for people to take the culture seriously.
Please feel free to agree or disagree.
Don’t you find similar responses to classical music, opera, and even Broadway in the population as a whole?
Mr. Redd,
Generally, people will tease you for being different. But it's another level within black culture, because of how subjective the culture is as a whole. There are certain factions of the culture who have a vendetta against Western civilization. So they are very tribal. They can't stand a black person like John McWhorter or myself embracing the so-called white culture. So they would label us as "sell outs" because they cannot see anything beyond a racial lens.
I have been watching this since grade school. But it's sad how the adults engage in the same ignorance. It's been going on for many generations.
I took sommelier level courses in wine tasting. I am able to still have fun with friends by telling them I’m about to put them to sleep describing varietal, conurbation, region, etc. I am willing to settle for them saying a wines tastes good or a wine is bad.
My brother-in-law is a classical music aficionado. I can’t get there with him, but I don’t dismiss his taste. We can agree on an appreciation for a variety of jazz styles. Is it possible that labeling one form of music as superior, is off putting?
I remember one New Year’s Eve with family tasting a vintage Dom Perignon with an off the shelf California sparkling wine. Family preferred the basic California wine. I was happy that they were happy.
Black culture is expensive enough to embrace Leontyne Price, Grace Bumbry, and ballerina Misty Copeland. I think your view of Black culture is limited.
I appreciate your feedback. But anyone can see that black American culture does not have a standard way of thinking. Go back to Dr. Henry Gates Jr in 2016 on C-Span. "There are 42 million ways to be black!"
This creates a power vacuum for moral authority between different groups to fight like they're in a gang war. One man's ignorance becomes another mans identity and vice versa.
I, myself, don't care about fitting into the culture because I already paid a heavy price a long time ago. I did not fit in with many of the kids I encountered in the inner-city. They lived in their own world. A lot of the adults today remind me of those very kids because they fight each other the same way. Who is black enough? It's strange to see grown people fight in politics, business, entertainment, academia, journalism, and the clergy. The name calling gets passed as an intellectual argument. I was surrounded by kids who played by those same rules in the schoolyard, classroom, and cafeteria.
No one has the moral authority to make the declaration of What is considered black enough. And so the war wages on. Glenn and John talk about what is compromised through this feud. Human development and human dignity. Why? Because there is no standard. Anything goes!!! That's why you have the Michelle Obamas who speak the way they do. They remove agency. They remove excellence because they have a vendetta against whites.
Below is the 2016 link to Dr. Gates speaking about 42 millions ways of blackness. At the 36:36 mark, listen to what he says.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmFtJdcfLdc
By the way,
I have to give grace to those inner-city kids from my past because they were struggling with human development. What is the excuse for adults to imitate those children? I guess they are outlaws who operate with impunity. And we must excuse the name calling like "Uncle Tom and Oreo" because of America's past sins. There are factions within black culture who live by subjective truth. They define what blackness is at their own discretion. Now subjective truth is interchangeable with subjective ignorance. Again, no standard!!!
I’m confused. There are 42M ways to be Black, but you zero in on one aspect of the culture. Uncle Tom was the hero in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. I have no heard “Oreo” sine I was a child.
Black Republicans said Black Democrats were on the Democratic plantation. Black Democrats called Black Republicans “sellouts”.
42M ways to be Black. I don’t relate to most hiphop. I consider myself Black. Opera is not included in the televised portion of the Grammy Awards Blacks are not the only group dismissive of the genre.
Team Trump's approach to removing DEI from college campuses has been messy, as John McWhorter suggested.
In some cases, the impacts have been modest.
The US Naval Academy and the other service academies did a review of the books in their libraries and temporarily removed books that Team Trump might find objectionable. The initial purge at the Naval Academy involved 381 books. Use this link if you want to see the list:
https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/4146516/list-of-books-removed-from-usna-library/
A subsequent article from the Associated Press said that most of those books have been returned to library shelves and that only about 20 are being subjected to further review:
https://apnews.com/article/military-libraries-dei-book-purge-d6df4f5c82d92763f2060d7f4b99cd95
To put these numbers in context, the US Naval Academy library has approximately 590,000 print books according to this article from The Hill:
https://thehill.com/homenews/race-politics/5227843-naval-academy-library-books-dei-trump-hegseth/
In other cases (e.g., Northwestern, Harvard), significant funding freezes have been threatened and/or instituted.
Northwestern made some modest changes in response to Team Trump, but Harvard pushed back.
The Daily Northwestern published a couple of articles about how Northwestern University responded to Team Trump's anti-DEI efforts:
https://dailynorthwestern.com/2025/03/03/campus/the-daily-explains-how-northwestern-has-responded-to-trumps-anti-dei-orders/
https://dailynorthwestern.com/2025/04/09/lateststories/a-dozen-northwestern-staff-members-titles-changed-to-exclude-dei-across-undergraduate-graduate-schools/
A class was eliminated, a few websites were taken down, and a dozen Northwestern staff members had their job titles changed to exclude DEI references. To put that number in context, Northwestern employs 4,300 full-time faculty members and 8,000 staff members:
https://hr.northwestern.edu/careers/why-northwestern/
An open question is whether the changes made by Northwestern will satisfy Team Trump and lead to the restoration of $700 million in federal funding freezes:
https://dailynorthwestern.com/2025/05/01/campus/northwestern-officials-confirm-significant-impacts-on-university-research-due-to-funding-freeze/
Harvard alum Bill Ackman shared his perspectives on how Harvard should have responded to Team Trump during a CNBC interview:
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/05/05/bill_ackman_to_harvard_when_a_university_becomes_a_political_advocacy_organization_it_doesnt_deserve_nonprofit_status.html
Here's a partial transcript:
BILL ACKMAN: The wrong thing to do is to receive a letter from the administration and write back saying, “We’re doing nothing. In fact, we’re going to sue you." That’s what Harvard did.
What Harvard should have done was to say, “You know, President Trump, you make some good points. Taxpayer money coming to Harvard—that’s a privilege, not a right. And if taxpayer money is going to an institution, the institution cannot have massive amounts of administrative bloat, waste, or bureaucracy. We’re going to eliminate it. We’re going to hire AlixPartners or a restructuring firm. We’re going to take a 3G zero-based budgeting approach to the way we run our administration. Inefficiency is causing harm, and we’re wasting taxpayer money."
"Mr. President, you’re right. Harvard has become — there is not viewpoint diversity at Harvard. Students are self-censoring their remarks in classrooms. Faculty are doing the same because people are afraid to have real conversations."
You can’t learn. You go to college to be exposed to a broad array of ideas, and you’re not, that’s not happening at Harvard. Free speech is not happening at Harvard. So, you acknowledge the areas where the President is absolutely correct, and you say, “Look, we’re going to fix those areas, okay? We want to make a deal, Mr. President."
What have we seen from Trump? He asks for the moon, kind of shock and awe. Okay, same thing is true for Harvard. That most recent letter—you could argue it’s certainly overreaching in some of the elements, but he wants to make a deal.
Make a deal with the President, commit to fix these things, which, by the way, your alumni want you to fix. It’s in the best interest of Harvard, and treat shareholder and taxpayer money like a fiduciary. And they’re not doing that.
Place your bets and take your chances when it comes to whether the leaders of America's elite colleges and universities reach deals with Team Trump or take part in what could be a knock down, drag out fight.
Glenn seems to be in physical pain or discomfort. I hope he's okay. Speaking from experience, living with pain certainly sucks.
I wish Glenn would/could comment on THIS?? perhaps something for the next Q and A? https://quillette.com/2025/05/16/is-the-university-of-austin-betraying-its-founding-principles/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email