Last year, our House of Representatives passed HR 3077, which requires an "Advisory Committee" to investigate whether legislated money for higher education is being used to hire professors with certain viewpoints. More government "McCarthyism" in higher education? This bill, which goes to the Senate this month, is about to set a dangerous precedent in government censorship in higher education.
"This is part of a wider campaign to intimidate," asserts Rashid Khalidi, the Edward Said Chair of Arab Studies at Columbia and head of its Middle East Institute. "It won't work with my generation, but it will discourage younger scholars from going into the field. One of the objectives is to put the universities in an impossible positionóeither to accept partisan intrusion into academic affairs or just not take the money." According to Amy Newhall, executive director of the Middle East Studies Association, the effect will be counterproductive: fewer and fewer students studying Arabic, Pashtu, Turkish, Urdu.
We need MORE students studying the Muslim world of Islam in those countries, not less.
It's not too late, though, to contact your Senator and tell him or her to strike out the "Advisory Committee" part of HR 3077:
SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR AND PENSIONS COMMITTEE
For more info, go to http://health.senate.gov/committee_members.html
For all senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
(unfortunately, you have to telephone to get the FAX number)
REPUBLICAN MEMBERS
Judd Gregg, NH
Chairman
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
TEL (202) 224-3324
FAX (202) 224-4952
mailbox@gregg.senate.gov
Bill Frist, TN
TEL (202) 224-3344
FAX (202) 228-1264
Michael B. Enzi, WY
TEL (202) 224-3424
FAX (202) 228-0359
senator@enzi.senate.gov
Lamar Alexander, TN
TEL (202) 224-4944
FAX (202) 228-3398
Christopher S. Bond, MO
TEL (202) 224-5721
FAX (202) 224-8149
kit_bond@bond.senate.gov
Mike DeWine, OH
TEL (202) 224-2315
FAX (202) 224-6519
senator_dewine@dewine.senate.gov
Pat Roberts, KS
TEL (202) 224-4774
FAX (202) 224-3514
Jeff Sessions, AL
TEL (202) 224-4124
FAX (202) 224-3149
senator@sessions.senate.gov
John Ensign, NV
TEL (202) 224-6244
FAX (202) 228-2193
Lindsey O. Graham, SC
TEL (202) 224-5972
FAX (202) 224-1189
John W. Warner, VA
225 Senate Russell Building
US Senate
Washington, DC 20510-4601
TEL (202) 224-2023
FAX (202) 224-6295
senator@warner.senate.gov
DEMOCRAT MEMBERS
Edward M. Kennedy, MA
Ranking Minority Member
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
TEL (202) 224-4543
FAX (202) 224-2417
http://kennedy.senate.gov/contact.html
Christopher J. Dodd, CT
TEL (202) 224-2823
FAX (202) 224-1083
Tom Harkin, IA
TEL (202) 224-3254
FAX (202) 224-9369
tom_harkin@harkin.senate.gov
Barbara A. Mikulski. MD
TEL (202) 224-4654
FAX (202) 224-8858
Jeff Bingaman, NM
TEL (202) 224-5521
FAX (202) 224-2852
senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov
Patty Murray, WA
TEL (202) 224-2621
FAX (202) 224-0238
senator_murray@murray.senate.gov
John F. Reed, RI.
TEL 202) 224-4642
FAX (202) 224-4680
jack@reed.senate.gov
John R. Edwards, NC
TEL (202) 224-3154
FAX (202) 228-1374
Hillary Rodham Clinton, NY
TEL 202) 224-4451
FAX (202) 228-0282
INDEPENDENT MEMBER
James M. Jeffords, VT
TEL (202) 224-5141
FAX (202) 228-0776
vermont@jeffords.senate.gov
For a more complete understanding of this issue, visit Juan Cole's site.
And read this USA Today editorial on the issue.
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