Christian Smith

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NB:  Well, I’m tired of the general BS complaints about the general BS in higher ed.  Christian Smith’s list of BS conveniently fails to address the prime cause for the BS:  careerism and its number one taboo:  thou shalt not criticize the hands that feed.  In his case, the hands are the University of Notre Dame.  And what makes his silence pitiful is that he is tenured.  Having the courage to actually bite the hands that feed might initiate the beginning to an end to the BS.  In Smith’s article, Chronicle of Higher Education article, “Higher Education Is Drowning in BS,” not one university or professor was named to illustrate the bullshit.  Not one!  His University of Notre Dame is designated a red light university by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which means the institution has free speech issues (see https://www.thefire.org/schools/university-of-notre-dame/#search-results).  Do the student editors care about that?  Nope!  Do the professors care about that?  Nope!  Will Smith write an essay about that particular bullshit?  Nope!  

          Unsurprisingly, Christian Smith did not respond to the above cartoon.  Unsurprisingly, Smith’s colleagues did not respond to it.  Professors tend to hate vigorous debate, cornerstone of democracy.  Unsurprisingly, the student editors did not respond to it and of course will not publish it.  Why unsurprisingly?  Murky waters of democracy, that's why...  Read Smith’s essay here: https://www.chronicle.com/article/Higher-Education-Is-Drowning/242195?cid=wcontentgrid_hp_2.  

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From: George Slone

Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2018 10:18 AM

To: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com; editor@ndsmcobserver.com

Cc: christian.smith@nd.edu

Subject: One of your professors satirized in a new P. Maudit cartoon

To Editor-in-Chief Ben Padanilam and Managing Editor Katie Galioto, The Observer, Student Newspaper, University of Notre Dame:  

Attached is a cartoon you will highly likely NOT publish.  Why not?  Because you are not being taught and not learning to appreciate freedom of speech and vigorous debate, democracy’s cornerstones.  “To uncover the truth and report it accurately,” your motto, is likely (hopefully not!) just another instance of the BS decried by your professor, Christian Smith:  https://www.chronicle.com/article/Higher-Education-Is-Drowning/242195?cid=wcontentgrid_hp_2.  Well, of course, he wouldn’t have decried that particular instance.  After all, that would take a little career-shaking courage.  

Finally, you ought to rethink endorsing candidates, student or other, for how can you possibly be objective when reporting with regards endorsed candidates?  Not possible!  Think!  Look at the New York Times, as a sad example.  

So, guts and individuality… or PC-groupthink teamplaying?  Which is it?  Look forward to your response.  

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From: George Slone

Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2018 2:55 PM

To: soc@nd.edu; christian.smith@nd.edu; berends.3@nd.edu; kbeyerl1@nd.edu; jorge.A.Bustamante.1@nd.edu; wcarbona@nd.edu; gilberto.Cardenas.7@nd.edu; jlcollett@nd.edu; russell.S.Faeges.4@nd.edu; dgibson1@nd.edu; david.S.Hachen.1@nd.edu; eugene.W.Halton.2@nd.edu; jjones23@nd.edu; tkay@nd.edu; MaryEllen.Konieczny.1@nd.edu; alangenk@nd.edu; olizardo@nd.edu; emcclint@nd.edu; erin.mcdonnell@nd.edu; tmcdonn2@nd.edu; rory.M.McVeigh.3@nd.edu; ann.E.Mische.2@nd.edu; atalia.Omer.3@nd.edu; smustill@nd.edu; atalia.Omer.3@nd.edu; david.Sikkink.1@nd.edu; lynette.P.Spillman.1@nd.edu; jspring1@nd.edu; erika.m.effler.1@nd.edu; mim.t.thomas.213@nd.edu; J.S.Valenzuela.1@nd.edu; andrew.J.Weigert.1@nd.edu; richard.A.Williams.5@nd.edu

Subject: A Notre Dame sociology professor lampooned in a new P. Maudit cartoon

To the Department of Sociology, University of Notre Dame:

Attached is a cartoon I just finished on one of your colleagues.  Why not examine it?   The response I received from that colleague was ABSOLUT MINDNUMBERY and is highlighted in the cartoon, which really does strike at the very crux of the problem:  your problem, academe’s problem, and consequently America’s problem.  I welcome your reaction, though will be surprised if I receive any considering general professorial disdain for vigorous debate, cornerstone of democracy...