Boston University history department advertises DEI commitment, hosts classes on ‘White Supremacist Thought’ and ‘Black Power’

ThatRobGuy said:

Have you not seen the dozens of replies I've gotten on here from people saying (in snarky tone) "Oh, and where did you get your degree in XYZ?!?" when discussing subjective social issues?

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I've only ever seen that response trotted out when you speak authoritatively and/or dismiss expert analysis on subjects that you have no background in.

There's an objective difference between "I think [X]" and "[X] is the truth."

RocksInMyHead said:

I've only ever seen that response trotted out when you speak authoritatively and/or dismiss expert analysis on subjects that you have no background in.

There's an objective difference between "I think [X]" and "[X] is the truth."

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I'm getting that in another thread right now as we speak because
-I dared to suggest that diet & exercise are preferable to a bunch of people rushing to get on GLP-1s
-Suggested that direct-to-consumer marketed telehealth services
- and linked a WHO report that suggested antibiotics are overprescribed as a means of demonstrating that "no, not all doctors use due diligence when handing out prescriptions"

Things that shouldn't be controversial at all

Took all of the two posts before the "you're not a doctor" and "you're just a guy who found links on the internet" crap started up.

And ironically enough, I get the same kind of responses on tech/AI threads (an area in which I do have credentials, and do have 20+ years of professional experience), which then prompted an accusation of me lying about having a Computer Science degree on the basis of "nobody who actually went to college would have your position".

It's just petty credentialism.

This whole board is themed around people debating topics and making assertions, and most of which are topics that none of us has any sort of professional degree in said realm.

Valletta said:

https://www.campusreform.org/article/boston-university-history-department-advertises-dei-commitment-hosts-classes-white-supremacist-thought-black-power/29892

An Executive Order is not going to stop people from trying to destroy America.

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What's wrong with what BU is doing? It's their right. An Executive Order would not effect them

Valletta said:

Cal State Los Angeles cancels conservative speaker's appearance

Cal State Los Angeles says conservative writer, who was scheduled to criticize trigger warnings and Black Lives Matter movement, can appear only with someone opposing his views.

www.insidehighered.com

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Ten years ago. Also, Shapiro was, at the time, primarily known for being deliberately inflammatory/provocative.

Valletta said:

Cost of free speech on UW campus on the rise

Last year the University of Washington's College Republicans invited former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos to campus. Yiannopoulos is a conservative...

www.kuow.org

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Same goes for Milo and Patriot Prayer.

Valletta said:

In wake of Robert George event shoutdown, Washington College vows to improve response to disruptive protests

Earlier this month, Princeton professor Robert George’s appearance at Washington College provided yet another example of what’s known as the “heckler’s veto.”

www.fire.org

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Per the article, this was primarily two students being disruptive, and a poor response from the university's security.

Two incidents from 8-10 years ago, directed at speakers who were intentionally provocative (meaning that the outcry against them was more likely a result of that aspect of their brands rather than the fact that they were conservatives) and one incident of poor behavior by a small group of students three years ago does not, to me, smack of a trend of "driving out" conservative speakers.

Valletta said:

They may lose federal funding if they are not complying with regulations regarding discrimination and civil rights.

Ending Illegal Discrimination And Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:Section 1. Purpose.

www.whitehouse.gov

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They aren't breaking any laws.

ThatRobGuy said:

I'm getting that in another thread right now as we speak because
-I dared to suggest that diet & exercise are preferable to a bunch of people rushing to get on GLP-1s
-Suggested that direct-to-consumer marketed telehealth services
- and linked a WHO report that suggested antibiotics are overprescribed as a means of demonstrating that "no, not all doctors use due diligence when handing out prescriptions"

Things that shouldn't be controversial at all

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Having read through that thread already, it's only the first one of those that prompted the "you're not a doctor" statements - and that's a reasonable criticism of anyone dispensing medical advice on the internet. Everything else was people simply disagreeing with you or disagreeing with your interpretation of the links you posted. You have a tendency to speak authoritatively, even when simply voicing your opinion, and of treating your own opinions as factual, and that colors people's responses. Again, there's an objective difference between stating "I think [X]" and "[X] is the truth." I (think I) understand the point you were trying to make, but making your argument as an absolute is always going to set people off.

ThatRobGuy said:

Took all of the two posts before the "you're not a doctor" and "you're just a guy who found links on the internet" crap started up.

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That does tend to happen when you develop a reputation for certain patterns of posting. People learn to recognize where you're going (or at least think they do) and try to anticipate it.

But this is off-topic, so we should probably avoid going down that rabbit hole.

ThatRobGuy said:

I'm getting that in another thread right now as we speak because
-I dared to suggest that diet & exercise are preferable to a bunch of people rushing to get on GLP-1s
-Suggested that direct-to-consumer marketed telehealth services
- and linked a WHO report that suggested antibiotics are overprescribed as a means of demonstrating that "no, not all doctors use due diligence when handing out prescriptions"

Things that shouldn't be controversial at all

Took all of the two posts before the "you're not a doctor" and "you're just a guy who found links on the internet" crap started up.

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eh... That's not really all you're communicating in that thread.

RocksInMyHead said:

Having read through that thread already, it's only the first one of those that prompted the "you're not a doctor" statements - and that's a reasonable criticism of anyone dispensing medical advice on the internet. Everything else was people simply disagreeing with you or disagreeing with your interpretation of the links you posted. You have a tendency to speak authoritatively, even when simply voicing your opinion, and of treating your own opinions as factual, and that colors people's responses. Again, there's an objective difference between stating "I think [X]" and "[X] is the truth." I (think I) understand the point you were trying to make, but making your argument as an absolute is always going to set people off.

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Also, the one person in that thread who's making the credentialism argument is obviously touchy from having already gone through some of this gatekeeping to get something for a legitimate need that others refused to acknowledge.