Perspective 160. Trump to Harvard: Kneel!

Trump’s recent demands of Harvard University set a new peak in presidential effrontery (a more polite word for old-fashioned chutzpah). Is this in fact an unprecedented attack by the federal government on a private university?

Yes. The government rightfully sets rules in such areas as civil rights, but had Harvard submitted to the terms of Trump’s April 11 letter. it would have lost its independence and become yet another appendage of Trumpworld.

In perspective, Harvard has existed and set a standard for excellence in higher education since 1636. Yet Trump’s letter (actually signed by three flunkies) squawks that Harvard has failed in recent years, and offers “collaboration in restoring the University to its promise.” Exploiting Harvard’s dependence on federal research funding, the letter then presents terms that Harvard must meet in order to “justify federal investment.”

Let’s look at direct quotations from the letter, followed by the meaning that is clearly behind the misleadingly benign language.

One change demanded is “empowering . . . exclusively those . . . committed to the changes indicated in this letter.” Translation: put our guys in charge.

Then: “All hiring and related data shall be shared with the federal government and subjected to a comprehensive audit by the federal government.” Translation: don’t hire anyone we don’t like. The same demand is made regarding the admission of students.

Regarding international students, Harvard must “prevent admitting students hostile to the American values and institutions inscribed in the U.S. Constitution.” Translation: only foreigners who think like us, please.

Also, “the University shall commission an external party . . . to audit the student body, faculty, staff, and leadership for viewpoint diversity.” And any department lacking “viewpoint diversity” must admit a “critical mass” of new faculty and students to fill in what’s missing. Translation: we want Harvard to include people like us: racial supremacists, Christian nationalists, conspiracy theorists, anti-science quacks, and totalitarians. A creationist teaching biology? Why not?

And Harvard must report back to the government every three months until the transition to Trumpworld is complete.

Originally I had intended to write this as a “Perversity,” one of my satires. But on closer examination of the letter, there was nothing left to satirize.