Trump vs Universities

[MajorRewrite]

The Trump administration wants practical control of Harvard University. Here’s the administration’s letter of demands.

Harvard told the government no. Here’s Harvard’s reply letter.

This paragraph sums it up:

The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI. And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge. No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.

It’s nice to see a strong response to the administration’s authoritarian tactics to control all institutions in America.

 

[Lazaran]

The Trump administration wants practical control of Harvard University. Here’s the administration’s letter of demands.

Harvard told the government no. Here’s Harvard’s reply letter.

This paragraph sums it up:



It’s nice to see a strong response to the administration’s authoritarian tactics to control all institutions in America.

It. Is. About. Fucking. Time.

 

[Bn2f]

Libs and their imposing of indoctrinating principles in our schools, amirite?

 

[Meekly_Anna]

We, who are not from the USA, see with fascinated horror how much hatred you show towards your fellow countrymen.
You don't talk to each other, you talk about each other and use words whose meaning you don't understand and turn them into swear words.
Democracy really is when you get what you deserve.

 

[VamPal1]

The bigger picture is the Trump regime wants control over everything.

 

[Lazaran]

We, who are not from the USA, see with fascinated horror how much hatred you show towards your fellow countrymen.
You don't talk to each other, you talk about each other and use words whose meaning you don't understand and turn them into swear words.
Democracy really is when you get what you deserve.

You do understand that there are actual fascist running America currently??? No???



You do understand that “The Lost Cause” racists have attained some measure of victory since Trump was elected the first time??? No???



How would you have us address pure evil???



Should we love the fascists and racists (and misogynists and bigots) who are currently debasing America and our constitution???



We. Told. Them. So.

 

[YDB95]

Never thought I'd be cheering for Harvard, but there are more important things than a football rivalry.

 

[YDB95]

You do understand that there are actual fascist running America currently??? No???

My guess is that she understands it just fine. She sounds exactly like a right-wing concern troll.

 

[Meekly_Anna]

My guess is that she understands it just fine. She sounds exactly like a right-wing concern troll.

Yes, I understand it perfectly.
You both prove my point exactly, unfortunately. ‘Unfortunately’ because exactly what you write makes you what you accuse others of being.
I am what some US citizens call a left-wing fanatic, only these people use a different choice of words.
In the civilised world, people like me are called ‘liberal social democrats’.
For those who don't know what ‘liberal’ is, liberal means free from fear of oppression by the state or by others.
In other words, exactly what the supporters of 47 demand and the exact opposite of what 47 is building: A totalitarian state that terrorises its citizens by means of its institutions.
Your president makes it possible for strong market players to exploit the people and at the same time forbids these people to defend themselves against this. He systematically dismantles all structures that serve the people and strengthens and perverts those that benefit him. He will truly go down in the history books as the man who did the greatest damage to the USA.

And now we come to you two. You don't know me. You know nothing about me. You've read a single post of mine and you didn't even understand it. You are making common cause in tone and argumentation with the people who are cheering on 47 who are destroying your state. What does that make you?
I could write that here now, but that would be extremely rude.

 

[Noitall]

Good to see that Harvard protects TERRORISTS and HATES JEWS

 

[Meekly_Anna]

And suddenly, out of nowhere, another fan of 1984 emerges, who will never understand it read the book.

See, gents?
That's how it is done

 

[Noitall]

Why yes, 1984, lets KILL JEWS

How modern of you

 

[Noitall]

Harvard can do what it wants

Without a US taxpayer funded handout

KILL THE JEWS, WITH DONOR MONEY! NO US MONEY!

 

[LoneMilf]

This part of the demands placed on Harvard is interesting:

Viewpoint Diversity in Admissions and Hiring
Every department or field found to lack viewpoint diversity must be reformed by hiring a critical mass of new faculty within that department or field who will provide viewpoint diversity; every teaching unit found to lack viewpoint diversity must be reformed by admitting a critical mass of students who will provide viewpoint diversity.
(https://www.harvard.edu/research-fu...2025/04/Letter-Sent-to-Harvard-2025-04-11.pdf)

What happened to making everything merit-based?

 

[Lance_Castro]

If so called “Top Universities” in Canada and the USA want to maintain what’s left of their reputations as centers of excellence in the pursuit of free, critical, independent thinking…

… they should stop taking so much money from Government. Too dependent.

Too many universities filled with too many wealthy third world students taking our government subsidized shortcut to north american citizenship.

Universities have more bloat than government or microsoft office.

 

[Meekly_Anna]

Too many universities filled with too many wealthy third world students taking our government subsidized shortcut to north american citizenship.

Like Elon Musk?

 

[Lance_Castro]

Like Elon Musk?

No; his Mom is Canadian.

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

Harvard is a private college. They are free to decline federal funds.

 

[MajorRewrite]

This, of course, is not about anti-Semitism. It’s purely about control. Trump wants to put MAGA loyalists in control of Harvard. The administration’s letter spells that out clearly.

Trump has removed government funding for research at Harvard, which will stop the research but not endanger the university. It is private and has enormous financial resources.

President Obama supports Harvard:

On Monday, Barack Obama posted in support of the university: “Harvard has set an example for other higher-ed institutions – rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom, while taking concrete steps to make sure all students at Harvard can benefit from an environment of intellectual inquiry, rigorous debate and mutual respect. Let’s hope other institutions follow suit.”

 

[colddiesel]

Harvard was established 389 years ago some 150 years before the United States. I suspect that it will survive the lunacy and criminality of the current occupant of the Oval Office. Most importantly it has established a beacon which other institutions will follow if they want to maintain any semblance of credibility.

 

[Fuzzy1975]

Harvard is a private college. They are free to decline federal funds.

Sure they are, but when applications for grants are made, and awarded, they should not be taken away because someone is having a hissy fit. Harvard made investments based upon those funds. Or to put this more in a way you might understand, the government program which was approved to retrofit your house was taken away, after you made the retro fit, and now you're on the hook for the bill.

 

[MajorRewrite]

Harvard is a private college. They are free to decline federal funds.

The Saint_Anne and BabyBoom brand of inane, rock-headed comments is truly weird.

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

Sure they are, but when applications for grants are made, and awarded, they should not be taken away because someone is having a hissy fit. Harvard made investments based upon those funds. Or to put this more in a way you might understand, the government program which was approved to retrofit your house was taken away, after you made the retro fit, and now you're on the hook for the bill.

As a US taxpayer I’m fine with it.

 

[MajorRewrite]

MAGA sheep are opposed to Harvard simply because Trump told them to.

Such obedient MAGA sheep.

 

[Bn2f]

Harvard is a private college. They are free to decline federal funds.

Insert Requisite Name is a private corporation. They should not be getting government tax breaks.

As a conservative minded US taxpayer, I AM NOT FINE with them being granted subsidies either.

FYP.