Liberal Arts

THIS is really raising my ire today:

Two days [after Cronon made critical observations of the power conservatives wielded in Wisconsin], the state Republican Party filed a freedom-of-information request with the university, demanding all of his e-mails containing the words “Republican,” “Scott Walker,” “union,” “rally,” and other such incendiary terms. (The Op-Ed article appeared five days after that.)

The party refuses to say why it wants the messages; Mr. Cronon believes it is hoping to find that he is supporting the recall of Republican state senators, which would be against university policy and which he denies. This is a clear attempt to punish a critic and make other academics think twice before using the freedom of the American university to conduct legitimate research.

The Wisconsin GOP, unsatisfied with attacking unions, is leveling their vitriol at an individual, an academic, attempting to use their pompous self-importance to undermine, harass, and generally silence him.

Why? Because he disagreed with their legislation, and made critical note of their power. The times article notes:

He pointed to the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative group backed by business interests that circulates draft legislation in every state capital, much of it similar to the Wisconsin law, and all of it unmatched by the left.

 There are questions about the legality of which emails the GOP can demand.

This is appalling, and horrifying, and I am disgusted that an academic's freedom of speech is being so openly and blatantly persecuted. The GOP's message is clear: think twice before you do your research and come up with anything negative to note about the Republican Party.

Those of us in academia had better be outraged at this bullying directed towards one of our own. The power the GOP wields so unconscionably in this nation is absurd, frightening, and impermissible.