Steven Pinker on Trump's University Ban: Unconstitutional and Preposterous

Trump Administration's University Ban

• 🏛️ The Trump administration's attempt to ban international students from attending universities like Harvard is described as unconstitutional and a preposterous infringement on private institutions.
• 🚫 Such a ban would allow the government to dictate the range of viewpoints taught and researched, potentially leading to the installation of individuals with government-approved ideologies.
• ⚠️ Examples of this potential mischief include appointing 2020 election deniers to history departments, creationists to biology, and anti-vaxxers to medical schools.

Impact on Harvard and International Students

• 💔 The reaction from Harvard academics and students is one of shock, anger, grief, and incredulity.
• 🌍 Approximately a quarter of Harvard's students are international, and the ban would disrupt their lives and the university's fabric.
• 💡 International students contribute significantly to labs, classrooms, and the university's intellectual vibrancy, often staying to contribute to the US economy or returning to their home countries with valuable knowledge.

Legal Ruling and Future Uncertainty

• ⚖️ A federal judge, Allison Burroughs, issued a temporary restraining order, halting the Department of Homeland Security's move for two weeks.
• 🤔 While Harvard is on secure legal grounds, there's concern about potential government pressure on courts and law firms, which could lead to an abrogation of the rule of law.
• 💰 The financial contribution of international students, who pay significantly higher tuition, is noted, though the primary argument against the ban focuses on academic and cultural contributions.

Critiques of Harvard and University Protests

• 🗣️ Steven Pinker has previously critiqued Harvard's internal issues, including DEI initiatives and "wokery".
• ☔ He likens the Trump administration's approach to trying to fix a downpour by defunding research, arguing that such actions do not solve Harvard's problems.
• ✊ Regarding campus activism, Pinker believes universities should have more resolutely enforced rules against disruption, intimidation, and preventing students from crossing campus spaces.

Pretext of Anti-Semitism

• 🎭 The use of anti-semitism as a pretext by the Trump administration is called out as a pretextual tactic.
• 🚫 Pinker notes that Donald Trump has hosted Holocaust deniers and Nazi sympathizers, and that defunding cancer research is not a solution supported by the Jewish community.
• 📉 Such actions harm Jewish scientists and students and send a negative message to all scientists and students about the value of their research and careers.