Sorry, this bit has no credence with me because of this:

"I couldn't imagine, for instance, that journalism that supported the Iraq war or gun rights would be met with much enthusiasm."

Good journalism doesn't support much outside of the community. "Journalism" written to intentionally support something is propaganda. Good journalism considers all legitimate sides, which I'm certain any journalist, regardless of personal political affiliation, would enthusiastically embrace.

Dan will do great in advertising or PR.

I found this article while looking for the opposite of an article I posted here on Plime yesterday.

While I agree that academics are often left-leaning, I think it's outrageous that this student feels the lack of professors with memberships to a certain political party is hindering his education and academic freedom.

I think the way by which this student classified his professors is unsound - he asked who they voted for, not why they voted as such. Wouldn't it be much more accurate though difficult to ask political viewpoints instead of party affiliation? I kind of feel bad for the guy, and all his professors, though. They really only have 2 parties to choose from. Us lucky folk in other nations have a choice of parties that cover the political spectrum fairly well.

But really, should he be surprised? I wonder if he'd be equally disappointed in the lack of anti-global warming people at Greenpeace or pro-peace generals in the military. Sometimes like-mindedness attracts people to a profession.

I mean, nearly all my professors were Canadian - is that a bad thing? No, and neither would having competent professors with a similar political ideology.

But the real reason this article made me smirk is his outrage at the professor's reactions.
*Gasp!!* Academics might challenge his opinion?!? The nerve!! What do they think they are doing? That sort of thing never happens elsewhere in academia, and certainly not in the real world!! Oh the humanity!!

I didn't even consider the article from this perspective. But you raise a very good point!

Very enlightening comment, lynxie!

I don't like the idea that he believes journalism should support any position. That's the O'Reilly and Olbermann form of journalism.

However, it does bug me that the teachers attacked him for his position.

So does this imply that more intelligent folks are left-leaning politically?

When I was in high school I was even more left oriented then I am now. My parents were left, and I guess, even though I was open to critical thinking, I was influenced by that.
Anyway, when in high school, I quickly found out, nearly all the teachers had leftist ideals. None of them really talked about it, but the hints were there. It always made me feel comfortable to know that, like one of the good guys. I remember thinking that if you just educated yourself enough you would always end up on the left side of politics...
I had a friend though who was very right wing, and I can only imagine how uncomfortable he must have felt about this. I remember one instance where he actually received a lower grade because he had written such an outrageous article (it was about how many of our country's problems would be solved by closing the borders). I knew that was unjust at the time, but fore some reason it felt like the good guys were winning. Now I wish I had said something about it to the teacher.

I think it would be difficult to remove any and all political preference in schools, but students should be allowed to explore their political ideals, even if they are extreme. That is the best way to get feedback on them and learn.

That has been statistically proven. Its not hard to see why either, with the rapant anti-intellectualism propogated by the far right.

I searched for about twenty minutes for a source of this "proof" and the closest I came to a legitimate study was this. Which shows the (unsurprising) results that the highest and the lowest people of intelligence support the Democratic party.

As an independent, I'd say both parties are equally populated by dumbasses.

Probably not too big of a problem since most of your schools administrators are republicans.

As someone who leans more to the right I have been the subject of much ridicule by many on the left. I have been called names, told I'm obviously not smart enough to see the truth, closed minded, and all kinds of other things. The article brought me back to my college years when I was given a failing grade in college because I was the only one in class to openly disagree with the professor’s ideas both in person and in my papers. I still did the assignment given to me but I would not allow the leftist slant my professor wanted me to have in the papers. I had to get the administration to over turn the grade.

It is sad that so many on the left has to resort to insults. For example: saying that people on the right apparently are anti-intellectuals. Because the only intellectuals can be people on the left and therefore we are anti-intellectuals?

Too many people need to learn that we need diversity. Not diversity as long as we agree with it… DIVERSITY!

Your implication being that no-one on the right ever resorts to insults?

Anti-intellectualism is not stupidity, it is being against higher education. Thats not an insult at all, its a very easily made observation.