Running with the Devil

I will address the comments on my last post about the Alumni Constitution at greater length in the comments section, but I would like to address the body of comments coming from the concerned liberal alums more generally.

The reason I am standing against the Constitution is that I feel that the parts under question are motivated more by paranoia and ideological contempt than they are by a solid assessment of what the College—especially the undergraduates—need. Believe me, I know what ideological contempt looks like—I practice it frequently—and this is it in spades.

I feel that these measures, which are unequivocally a blatant and unequivocal abuse of power, are unnecessary and address a threat that I find is being blown out of proportion. I do not feel, and most of the students I have talked to do not feel, that we are on the verge of a conservative invasion. I have previously written about the conservatism already here at Dartmouth and feel that I am objectively one of its most persistent critics. But I do not feel that we are in danger of much reversion. I am not sensing at this moment an impending doom for things like the Center for Women and Gender Studies or the Sexual Abuse Awareness Program or the Gay Straight Alliance or anything else that smacks of equality and diversity. What I sense is a moment where many alumni now feel comfortable complaining about these things and criticizing them openly. I think that there is really no substance behind these complaints and criticisms and that they will blow themselves out in a few years without lasting damage. Unless, that is, we fan the flames by restricting them, demonizing them, and therefore inciting them.

If, however, I am wrong and there actually is a genuine and legitimate threat, I am more than willing to reconsider my position—in fact, I will do everything I can to expose and eradicate that threat. If anyone reading this blog has any real evidence of a concerted operation—and not merely rhetoric and hopes and dreams—with likely success to turn back Dartmouth's clock please email me here. If you wish to remain anonymous, well, free email isn't hard to come by, but you can also send regular mail to this address:

Andrew Seal
Hinman Box 3601
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH
03755

I am entirely serious about this. If any of you have evidence that the threat of regression is both real and likely to succeed, please pass that on to me. Or if you have suggestions for where I could look to find something legitimately sinister, please tell me. I will follow up over the summer.