Academic Freedom Media Review–September 10-16, 2011

The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

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CHILE: New student demands in three-month conflict
María Elena Hurtado, University World News, 9/15
Egyptian student protests hit elite Cairo university
Jack Shenker, The Guardian, 9/15
Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has jail sentence reduced
Saeed Kamali Dehghan, The Guardian, 9/14
Who Sets E-Mail Rules?
Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed, 9/14
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Why is Virginia Really Challenging the Health Care Law?

What is wrong with the state government in Virginia? Last week the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond threw out Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s challenge to the Affordable Care Act, but now he and Governor Bob McDonnell have vowed to appeal.
Why are the Republicans in Virginia against ensuring that everyone has access to health care? As I understand it, the law is being attacked as un-Constitutional because it compels everyone to purchase insurance, and the federal government does not have that power. What, then, is the solution? A national system in which the government is guarantor is fine by me, Medicare for all. However, that is not palatable to the right, for one reason or another. It’s costly, inefficient and unlikely to remain solvent, or so they say. My interactions with Medicare have generally been favorable, and wonder about these characterizations. Even if they are true, can’t these things be fixed? Wouldn’t expanding the pool of participants in medicare with healthy, younger people be a way to do that. But the Right is not particularly interested in solving these issues because their real concern is ideological, and they think Medicare is a form of socialism. (Click here to cue ominous music!)
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Only 9 Days to Raise $380. I Can Do It. Even if it's $5 at a Time.

There are just 9 days left in my challenge to raise $1,000 to help children struggling to overcome life threatening challenges such as the trauma wrought by poverty, disease, abuse, neglect, natural disaster, violence or other causes. I’ve been working hard, asking everyone I can think of, and as of this moment I have raised $620. Thank you Glen Collins, Christopher Cox, Robert Ward, Justin Adams, Michael McKenna, Paul Harris, Tom Goss, Jami Woods and Bill Jennings. I know none of you donated for public acknowledgement. In fact, I have several anonymous donors. I want to thank them all, named and unnamed, for helping me reach 62% of my goal.
There are 9 days left in the campaign and I still plan to reach 100%. It will feel good to reach, or even exceed a goal right now. If you can help me do it, just go to http://lig.convio.net/goto/MikeToler and click on the yellow “Support Me” box.

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Thoughts on Remembrances of September 11

It is fitting that we pause today to remember the events of September 11, 2001 in New York, NY and Washington, DC.  It was a day in which a small group of terrorists once again reminded us just how much ideology and religious fervor can so blind the eyes of men to right and wrong to the point that they will turn aircraft loaded with innocent people into missiles to be used to commit deliberate acts of barbaric, cold-blooded murder against thousands of other innocent civilians.
It was also a day in which firefighters, police, rescue workers and even ordinary citizens committed selfless acts that taught us the meaning of heroism.  Through the coverage of 9-11 memorials and tributes, the media has done a good job of reminding us of all of this.  It has also reminded us of the deep sense of loss and the threat we face.  We’ve been called on to remember the soldiers who volunteered to fight against the terrorist threat and did not come home.  Nearly 4500 coalition forces have been killed in Iraq, and 1800 in Afghanistan (source).  The number that have been maimed or psychologically scarred is even larger.
As Americans, however, we must realize that 9-11 was a global tragedy and we were not the only ones affected…

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SAR Academic Freedom Media Review – September 3-9, 2011

The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

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Brazil invests to expand tropic of learning into rural areas…
Paul Jump, Times Higher Ed, 9/8
Revolutions Yet to Happen
André Elias Mazawi, Inside Higher Ed, 9/8
A Dissenter Is Fired
Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed, 9/8
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Academic Freedom Media Review – August 13 -19 2011

The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

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Professor’s Memo Blasting Dept. Chair Was Protected Speech, California Court Holds /
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 8/18
Italian Embassy Revokes Belarusian University Rector’s Visa
Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, 8/18
The Kampala declaration on intellectual freedom
Ndala Machika, The Nation, 8/17
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Academic Freedom Media Review – August 6-12, 2011

The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available here. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.

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TOGO: Government yields to student pressure
Tunde Fatunde, University World News, 8/12
Conditions of Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei’s Detention Emerge
Keith Bradsher, The New York Times, 8/12
Ccasu Says not yet contacted by Commission
Frank Namangale, The Nation, 8/12
AAUP Says U. of Virginia Is Giving Group Too Much Access to Climate Researchers’ Documents
Peter Schmidt, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 8/11
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Who's Dependent on Whom?

I was recently forwarded yet another “joke” about all the “freeloaders that the decent taxpayers of our society are forced to support.” I’ve edited punctuation, syntax and grammar for clarity.
In the joke a Texas man is filling out his tax form and,

In answer to the question, ‘Do you have any dependents?’, I wrote in: “Yes, I have lots of dependent’s. I’m supporting: illegal immigrants; crack heads; unemployable bastards; seemingly the cast of The Jerry Springer Show; 80,000 people in our 133 penal establishments in Texas; leftovers in Texas from Katrina; half of Mexico; some of the Congress and most of the Senate; a super-bloated bureaucracy at every level; and a foreign-born President”
Gosh, apparently this wasn’t an acceptable answer.

Now this guy is clearly an ass without a lot of sympathy for his fellow Americans in need. With the exception of illegal immigrants, the people he lists are all victims of circumstance: people addicted to drugs, who can’t find work (not the same as unemployable), who have been displaced by a natural disaster, and the like. And he’s clearly someone who can’t accept reality, still insisting that the legitimately elected President of the United States is “foreign-born” even though Hawaii (even though it’s in the Pacific, it is a State.) has produced his birth certificate.
But what is particularly annoying is
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Scholars at Risk Anniversary Celebration and Academic Freedom Media Review

Along with the Academic Freedom Media Review this week, Scholars at Risk announced registration is open for their 10th anniversary celebration and meeting in New York.

Registration open!  October 3-4: Scholars at Risk will mark our 10th anniversary with a celebration and network meeting in New York.  Click here for program, registration and travel information.

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Academic Freedom Media Review
July 30 – August 5, 2011

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The Scholars at Risk media review seeks to raise awareness about academic freedom issues in the news. Subscription information and archived media reviews are available on the SAR site. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of Scholars at Risk.
Libyan students call for help, 8/4
Geoff Maslen, University World News
Iranian Academic Charged As ‘Enemy Of God’ Brands Court Illegal
Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, 8/4.
Waging intellectual war on repression and class divides
John Morgan, Times Higher Education, 8/4
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Please Help Children in Crisis

For the second year, I am fundraising for The Life is good Playmakers, who are providing innovative training and support to preschool teachers, early child care providers, Child Life Specialists, social workers, and adults working directly with kids who are struggling to overcome early-childhood trauma.  But the economy is making it a real challenge, and I am significantly further from my goal than I was this time last year, though the need is as great or greater than it was at that time.
Millions of our nation’s youngest children experience trauma each year–domestic violence, abuse, neglect, natural disasters, extreme poverty, or severe illness.  Consumed by fear and powerlessness, traumatized children stop playing, connecting and experiencing joy in the world around them. Such trauma devastates young lives and shortens life expectancy.  I will do my part to help the Life is good Foundation to prevent this.
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