An Interview With Harvard President

While he claims there is a big problem with anti-Semitism at Harvard (I wonder if any criticism of Israel's genocide in Gaza is construed as anti-Semitism), President Alan Gerber makes a stout defence of universities in this interview with Lester Holt.

The attacks described above are, of course, all of a piece. The war on intelligence, critical thinking and higher education seems almost inevitable as Trump's Amerika seeks to totally control the message.

The message: profound ignorance good; disagreement with authority very, very bad, and comes with severe consequences.

Dinner With The Devil

To be sure, both the title and the above picture might seem rather lurid for a staid blogger like me, but there is a reason for such sensationalism today. And it all begins with Bill Maher's recent dinner companion.

The late-night pundit Bill Maher had dinner with the president on 31 March, and many predicted it would have been a combative meeting. Both men have been frank about this dislike of each other, with Trump calling Maher a “lowlife” and his show “dead”.

But on the 11 April episode of his show, Real Time, Maher described the president as “gracious” and “much more self-aware than he lets on”.

“Everything I’ve ever not liked about him was – I swear to God – absent, at least on this night with this guy,” said Maher. “He mostly steered the conversation to, ‘What do you think about this?’ I know: your mind is blown. So is mine.”

He added: “A crazy person doesn’t live in the White House. A person who plays a crazy person on TV a lot lives there, which I know is fucked up. It’s just not as fucked up as I thought it was.”

Normalizing the heinous Trump was all too much for Larry David, the creator of Seinfeld and late of Curb Your Enthusiasm. In order to show the dangerous lunacy of suggesting Trump is just play-acting the role of an unhinged megalomaniac, David wrote the following essay, a cutting satire of the dinner Maher extolled. I reproduce it in full, as I realize many do not have access to the New York Times.

Entitled My Dinner With Adolph, I think it speaks for itself. It goes like this:

Imagine my surprise when in the spring of 1939 a letter arrived at my house inviting me to dinner at the Old Chancellery with the world’s most reviled man, Adolf Hitler. I had been a vocal critic of his on the radio from the beginning, pretty much predicting everything he was going to do on the road to dictatorship. No one I knew encouraged me to go. “He’s Hitler. He’s a monster.” But eventually I concluded that hate gets us nowhere. I knew I couldn’t change his views, but we need to talk to the other side — even if it has invaded and annexed other countries and committed unspeakable crimes against humanity.

Two weeks later, I found myself on the front steps of the Old Chancellery and was led into an opulent living room, where a few of the Führer’s most vocal supporters had gathered: Himmler, Göring, Leni Riefenstahl and the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII. We talked about some of the beautiful art on the walls that had been taken from the homes of Jews. But our conversation ended abruptly when we heard loud footsteps coming down the hallway. Everyone stiffened as Hitler entered the room.

He was wearing a tan suit with a swastika armband and gave me an enthusiastic greeting that caught me off guard. Frankly, it was a warmer greeting than I normally get from my parents, and it was accompanied by a slap on my back. I found the whole thing quite disarming. I joked that I was surprised to see him in a tan suit because if he wore that out, it would be perceived as un-Führer-like. That amused him to no end, and I realized I’d never seen him laugh before. Suddenly he seemed so human. Here I was, prepared to meet Hitler, the one I’d seen and heard — the public Hitler. But this private Hitler was a completely different animal. And oddly enough, this one seemed more authentic, like this was the real Hitler. The whole thing had my head spinning.

He said he was starving and led us into the dining room, where he gestured for me to sit next to him. Göring immediately grabbed a slice of pumpernickel, whereupon Hitler turned to me, gave me an eye roll, then whispered, “Watch. He’ll be done with his entire meal before you’ve taken two bites.” That one really got me. Göring, with his mouth full, asked what was so funny, and Hitler said, “I was just telling him about the time my dog had diarrhea in the Reichstag.” Göring remembered. How could he forget? He loved that story, especially the part where Hitler shot the dog before it got back into the car. Then a beaming Hitler said, “Hey, if I can kill Jews, Gypsies and homosexuals, I can certainly kill a dog!” That perhaps got the biggest laugh of the night — and believe me, there were plenty.

But it wasn’t just a one-way street, with the Führer dominating the conversation. He was quite inquisitive and asked me a lot of questions about myself. I told him I had just gone through a brutal breakup with my girlfriend because every time I went someplace without her, she was always insistent that I tell her everything I talked about. I can’t stand having to remember every detail of every conversation. Hitler said he could relate — he hated that, too. “What am I, a secretary?” He advised me it was best not to have any more contact with her or else I’d be right back where I started and eventually I’d have to go through the whole thing all over again. I said it must be easy for a dictator to go through a breakup. He said, “You’d be surprised. There are still feelings.” Hmm … there are still feelings. That really resonated with me. We’re not that different, after all. I thought that if only the world could see this side of him, people might have a completely different opinion.

Two hours later, the dinner was over, and the Führer escorted me to the door. “I am so glad to have met you. I hope I’m no longer the monster you thought I was.” “I must say, mein Führer, I’m so thankful I came. Although we disagree on many issues, it doesn’t mean that we have to hate each other.” And with that, I gave him a Nazi salute and walked out into the night.

Why I Cast My Vote The Way I Did

As I wrote the other day, my wife and I cast our vote at an advance poll, and as noted, the large turnout, reflected in many other stations as well, was very encouraging. Canadians clearly understand there is much at stake here.

Had the Trump threats and tariffs not emerged, and had Trudeau remained head of a tired party, I likely would have voted NDP. All political parties need a periodic time out in order to renew and rejuvenate. To me, that is all part of a healthy democracy. With the emergence of Mark Carney, however, the choice was clear, and I won't bother going into the reasons, already widely discussed in the media, about why he seems to be the man of the hour, and Pierre Poilievre is not.

A few letters to the editor seem to capture the tenure of the times.

Things to consider before you vote

We will have a federal election in less than two weeks. Forgetting the political party affiliations, let us look at what the two leading candidates for prime minister are offering.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is a professional politician. All his adult life, he has done nothing but be a politician. He has not seen the outside world besides the Parliament walls around him. His resume could read: I have been a hounding and berating opposition politician throughout my career. And I am pretty good at it.

Poilievre does not want to face the press, lest they ask questions not to his liking. He does not want to get his security clearance, leading Canadians to question what he is hiding.. He has no humility. 

Liberal Leader Mark Carney is new to politics. Carney is bound to make political mistakes. He is  well educated and has a wealth of experience both in Canada and abroad. He has seen the world and experienced the financial problems facing Canada and the world. He knows how to tackle the problems created by this stupid tariff war. 

Put your thinking hats on before choosing the prime minister.

Aziz Rehman, Brampton, ON

Have you noticed how Liberal Leader Mark Carney usually just talks to the press, without any notes? He just wings it, because he knows what he is talking about, and doesn’t need to read it. And he says it so succinctly. The other candidate, however, is always looking down at his notes. He needs to read it because he doesn’t know it, like Carney does. Which one would you rather vote for? The one who knows his stuff, or the one who doesn’t? Just a telling observation, of body language.

John Dawson, Scarborough, ON

Decade of Liberal rule achieved a lot

I am tired of hearing “the lost Liberal decade” and “Canada is broken” tirades and would like to mention some of the Trudeau government’s achievements.

The Liberals negotiated with U.S. President Donald Trump and agreed to a new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the CUSMA. The COVID-19 pandemic came, and we were kept safe and secure by the work of the Liberals: CERB, protective equipment and vaccines. Canada had fewer deaths than most other countries. After COVID, came inflation: Why? Supply chains were broken because of COVID shutdowns; Canadians had large savings, largely from CERB, so that demand was up and supply was down. This drives up inflation, as any economist knows. And we came out of inflation quicker and better than most countries. You cannot blame the Trudeau government for inflation but that is all Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre shouted about in the last two years.

Other achievements include the Canada Child Benefit, the national child-care plan, dental care and pharma care. And let’s not forget taking action on   Indigenous issues.  So let’s give credit where credit is due and know that Canada is not broken and we have not lost a decade with Liberal rule. Oh, and former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper was not able to build a single pipeline while Trudeau bought the Trans Mountain Pipeline and tripled its capacity. 

Alberto Sarthou, Toronto

And finally, this missive from The Globe and Mail.

As the election looms, I am reminded of the snake fable where a person is walking in the forest and is met by a snake who convinces the individual to pick it up. The person was hesitant, but then weakened, having been convinced by the snake that he won’t hurt them.

Trustingly, the person picks the snake up and the snake soon bites them. Shocked, the person cries out at being misled, double-crossed and hurt, to which the snake replies: “You knew what I was when you picked me up.”

I will remember that fable at the voting booth. I hope others do, too, because one’s track record is an excellent indicator of future deliverables.

June Donaldson Calgary

A Good Day

    

                          

Yesterday was a good day. We went to the advance poll to cast our vote, and the turnout was robust; in fact, the entire process took over an hour. Despite the long wait, almost everyone, young and old, able and disabled, remained, stoically standing as the lines snaked toward the ballot box.

Ours was not an isolated experience, as people are keenly aware of the importance of this election.

Canadians packed polling stations and stood in long lineups in cities across the country on Friday as advance voting in the upcoming federal election officially got underway.

A queue snaked outside the voting centre on Smythe Street in Fredericton, as people waited, some with their dogs, others with young children in strollers or holding their parents' hands.

Some were in line for more than 45 minutes to cast their vote on a sunny and cool spring afternoon.

“It feels more important to vote and make sure we keep having the country that we want,” said Nicole Bent, who is going to Nova Scotia for a few weeks and decided to vote early so she didn’t miss the chance to cast her ballot.

Bent said the election feels different this time because of recent actions and statements from United States President Donald Trump.

She voted Liberal.

“It’s voting for the man, not the party. Which man we want in there,” said Bent, referring to party leader Mark Carney.

Mark Kunkle, who also voted in Fredericton, said he runs his own business and the first day of voting seemed like a quiet and good day to go to the polls.

“Well, all elections are important, but in this particular case, it's pretty, pretty important because the future (of the country) is going to be decided,” said Kunkle, who came to the poll with his dog.

One quick note: if the long lineups deter you, be aware that you can go to any Elections Canada office to cast your advance vote. A friend of mine chose that option yesterday as his wife is temporarily disabled and could not vote at their advance poll because of a 45-minute wait. You will find all of the information for this option on your voter registration card or by clicking here.

A Good Friday Bonus

 Theo Moudakis never disappoints.

Closing, Closing, Closed

Sometimes, the creep toward authoritarian rule is slow, almost imperceptible, until it is a fait accompli. Other times, the coup is complete in little more than the blink of an eye. The latter, of course, is what has happened in the United States, but Canadians should not feel especially complacent about it. After all, like the cancer it is, fascism can spread tentacles that reach even remote parts of the body politic. More about that in a moment.

The so-called intelligentsia is often a prime target. And we are seeing this in abundance in the U.S., where the Trump regime is insisting upon ideological purity from universities such as Cornell, Columbia and Harvard in exchange for federal grants. Happily, Yale, unlike the other two universities, is refusing to submit, at a preliminary cost to them of $2.3 billion.

In a letter to Harvard on Friday, the administration called for broad government and leadership reforms, a requirement that Harvard institute what it calls “merit-based” admissions and hiring policies as well as conduct an audit of the study body, faculty and leadership on their views about diversity.

The demands, which are an update from an earlier letter, also call for a ban on face masks, which appeared to target pro-Palestinian protesters; closure of its diversity, equity and inclusion programs, which it says teach students and staff “to make snap judgments about each other based on crude race and identity stereotypes”; and pressure the university to stop recognizing or funding “any student group or club that endorses or promotes criminal activity, illegal violence, or illegal harassment”.

The administration also demanded that Harvard cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

Yale's response was unequivocal.

Harvard’s president said in a letter that the university would not comply with the Trump administration’s demands to dismantle its diversity programming and to limit student protests in exchange for its federal funding.

“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,” Alan Garber, the university president, wrote, adding that Harvard had taken extensive reforms to address antisemitism.

Garber said the government’s demands were a political ploy.

“It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner,” he wrote. “Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard.”

The extreme right is never satisfied until it has complete control over the minds (and hearts, if they are really tenacious) of all, and what better way to do so than controlling what the population is taught? 

The American idea that universities are fair game for control has affected at least one Canadian  institution, but here, it is a self-imposed censorship of ideas. Consider this sad incident:

The first artist-in-residence at the University of Prince Edward Island’s veterinary college has quit after being told to take down a painting of lemmings that he says incited complaints from American faculty over the political nature of the work.

Christopher Griffin, whose new residency was heralded by Atlantic Veterinary College late last year, was asked to remove “The Crossing,” a painting of lemmings depicted on a boat in a clear nod to Emanuel Leutze’s 1851 work, ”Washington Crossing the Delaware.”

“I knew when I put the American flag in the painting that it would elicit some sort of reaction,” said the Charlottetown-based artist. “I never expected it would be censored.”

Griffin created the piece as part of a series he began in January in response to the Trump administration and its increasingly volatile relationship with its neighbour to the north.

“Washington Crossing the Delaware” is an iconic historical depiction of American victory. The massive painting shows a heroic George Washington crossing the river towards a surprise attack on the British during the American Revolutionary War.

Griffin, who has drawn from nature and wildlife for much of his 35-year career, chose lemmings because of the mythology around the creatures being prone to mass suicide. “I thought that was appropriate for the self-inflicted harm that the American government was doing to itself.

The shameful nature of this censorship has not escaped the notice of thoughtful Canadians, who recognize the dangerous path the university has tread.

I just read the article about Christopher Griffin’s painting “The Crossing” that was taken off the wall at the University of Prince Edward Island veterinary school. It was astonishing.

I have been an art teacher for 35 years and have taught literally thousands of children in Toronto. The single most important idea I instill in my students is to respect each other’s work, to listen to what the work is about and to ask the student artist to explain their work, if necessary. If children don’t like the work for whatever personal reason, so be it. That’s fine, as long as it’s not hurtful. These lessons should be considered at the University of PEI. The American faculty at that school who don’t feel comfortable with this work need to talk it out with the artist and come to a deeper understanding of it.

Ellen Manney, Toronto

Christopher Griffin is due an apology

More power to artist Christopher Griffin. In a world of vertebrates and invertebrates it is obvious who has the backbone in this unfortunate standoff. How sad that even university administrators and professors cannot recognize virtually everything in life is political and in the case of the current American administration it is self-evident that everything they do is political. The University of Prince Edward Island owes artist Griffin an apology for the removal of his painting “The Crossing.”

Charles Campisi, Oakville

‘The Crossing’ shines light on the truth

I am taking a minute out of my day to thank artist Christopher Griffin for depicting the chaotic situation in the U.S. through his painting “The Crossing.” I am approaching my 81st year in a few weeks, and the thought of U.S. President Donald Trump’s right-wing supporters reminded me of lemmings. I felt then and now that those MAGA followers will follow Trump over a cliff . The University of Prince Edward Island got it wrong. Please find your backbone. We Canadians will not be intimidated by Trump . I am just one Canadian proud of what Griffin did to shine light on the truth.

Dorothy Higgins, Mississauga

A mind is a terrible thing to waste, as the old saying goes. A closed mind cannot grow. Removing any chance of that mind developing the critical thinking skills so necessary in this increasingly fraught world may in fact be the ultimate objective in Trump's Amerika. We must never let it be so here. The cost would be too high.

So Many Reasons

Those who read this blog with any regularity likely know that I have not entered the United States since 2016 and have no intention of ever going there again. My reasons are many, not the least of which is the American love of the gun, as well as the fact that all signs point to a rapidly devolving nation. Donald Trump, of course, serves as the perfect emblem for that devolution.

In his latest column, Bruce Arthur specifically addresses how Trump's Amerika is a nation that should be avoided at all costs, and notes that many are already boycotting travel there.

Travel from Canada the United States is not just falling: it is plummeting. According to the flight information site OAG, year-over-year bookings of flights from Canada to the United States are vanishing: down over 70 per cent in each of the months between April and September. Airlines are changing routes. Canadians are changing their habits. And not just Canadians: all foreign travel is falling in real time. 

News like the above, I must confess, absolutely delights me. But the economic pain we can inflict on Trump's Amerika is almost incidental.

Avoiding the United States is not just a matter of patriotic principle; it’s a matter of simple safety. Canadians were willing to risk American gun culture, and more. But this American government does not recognize fundamental rights, and you are no longer protected by the law if you set foot in that country. Canada should join other nations in issuing stern travel advisories. We have not, yet.

The frightening landscape that is emerging should serve as a bracing warning for all of us:

People are simply being disappeared off the streets for wrongthink. A Columbia University graduate student named Mahmoud Khalil, in America on a student visa whose wife is a U.S. citizen, was arrested for leading pro-Palestinian protests. A Georgetown University researcher named Badar Khar Suri who was born in India, in America on a student visa, was arrested outside his home in Arlington, Va. A Turkish national named Rumeysa Ozturk, a student at Tufts in Massachusetts, was arrested in daylight by four plain clothes officials for writing a pro-Palestinian op-ed in the student newspaper.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the move, saying, “if you come into the U.S. as a visitor and create a ruckus for us, we don’t want it.” A ruckus. She was transported to a prison in Louisiana, and says she has been borderline tortured.

Then there was the Russian dissident, Kseniia Petrova, a scientist working at Harvard Medical School, who may be deported back to Russia, which sounds like a death sentence. The French academic who was asked for the contents of his phone, to look for anti-Trump content. And, of course, there was the case of Canadian Jasmine Mooney, who was detained in terrible conditions for two weeks by ICE over questions about her visa. Canadians born in Iran and Afghanistan have been denied entry at the US border.

And don't expect the rule of law to protect you,

Judge’s orders are being ignored, so people can be shoved on planes and used as the backdrop for an Instagram-style, influencer-modeled fascist mode of cruelty porn. Or too-online AI-as-the-aesthetic-of-fascism taunting. Or a more cinematic version of the same. Friday, the U.S. government resisted implementing a unanimous Supreme Court order to return a wrongly deported man named Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador. It’s a truly dangerous moment.

Canadians intemperate enough to risk travel to the U.S. need to take precautions.

If you must go, you need to register if you will be there more than 30 days, or face criminal charges.

Bruce Arthur advises Canadians to travel to other countries or vacation here. Never has Canada looked more like a safe haven than it does now. We should cherish it, and do everything we can to cultivate our own country, while avoiding the perils and pitfalls endemic to our southern, increasingly hostile, neighbour.

 

Amerika In Pictures

In a world riven by American-led incompetence, the following pictures reveal that there are at least some in Trump's Amerika who haven't drunk the Kool-Aid.

What Are They Hiding?

As the saying goes, democracy dies in darkness, and judging by their practices, it appears the Conservative Party has very little regard for the openness that is required for a politically healthy society. A big read flag (not our Maple Leaf) should be fluttering for all voters, given that PP's party during this election campaign is limiting questions from the mainstream press. It is eerily reminiscent of his ideological cousin, Don Trump's, practices.

And in some cases, the party in its 'wisdom' is sequestering the press, as as was reported by Judy Trinh in Sault Ste. Marie, who

shared a striking observation on social media, highlighting the confined space reporters were allotted during the conference.

The Conservative party’s news conference took place in a parking lot in Sault Ste. Marie, characterized by its open and wide surroundings. However, despite the ample outdoor space, reporters found themselves confined within a designated area measuring approximately 8 meters by 8 meters. 

Sounds and looks like an animal pen, doesn't it? 

Many pointed out that in an era where transparency is paramount, such arrangements could be seen as counterproductive. The open nature of the parking lot contrasted sharply with the restricted area allocated to the media, leading to questions about the Conservative party’s commitment to engaging with the press.

However, this is part of a larger pattern, as reported by The Hill.  In comparing the accessibility of the four parties, 

the Conservative campaign in particular is failing its promise of being one of “the most accessible and transparent campaigns in recent memory.”

Speaking with The Hill Times on a not-for-attribution basis out of fear of retaliation from the campaign, journalists covering the Poilievre campaign say that being barred from the tour’s official bus and plane was only been the beginning of the obstacles encountered in trying to hold the candidate to account. 

Of the 65 questions Poilievre has fielded at his daily broadcasted press conferences from March 23 through April 6, he has made particular effort to ensure an “equitable balance” between national and local, independent, or minority-community-focused outlets, offering a total of 25 questions to those reporters and, on some days, three or all four of the available questions. 

Bear in mind that no media are allowed to accompany the Conservative campaign planes or buses, which stands in sharp contrast to the practices of both the Liberal and NDP campaigns. And although Conservative campaign manager Jennie Byrnes had promised unparalleled transparency, that has proven to be demonstrably false.  

While the campaign pre-selects who will be allowed to ask a question and has continued the party’s practice of physically holding the microphone—turning it off immediately after a reporter’s question—there have been increasing reports of the campaign attempting to find out what will be asked and suggesting an alternative question, with the reporter losing their question when they do not comply. 

Both The Globe and CBC’s Evan Dyer have reported instances of the campaign pressuring them to change what questions they would ask and withholding their opportunities when they did not comply. 

The following two charts help to put this attempt at controlling the press into its proper perspective and are especially revelatory:

March 23	5	12	14	10
March 29	4	0	13	10
March 31	4	9	12	10
April 3	4	10	15	10
Daily Average	4	10	14	11
March 30	4	0	10	13
March 27	4	15	9	14
April 1	4	9	9	15
March 28	5	18	16	16
Total	65	148	208	163
March 26	7	22	22	17
April 6	4	0	10	6
March 24	4	15	18	8
March 25	4	14	14	8
April 4	4	15	11	8
April 2	4	0	18	9
April 5	4	9	17	9
Party Leaders	Pierre Poilievre	Mark Carney	Jagmeet Singh	Yves-François Blanchet

As well, the doling out of the 'privilege' of asking the Conservatives questions also tells a great deal: 

Who has Pierre Poilievre given questions to?

March 23 - April 6

Outlet	Total
Local/Independent/Ethnic	25
Global	5
Radio-Canada	4
Toronto Sun	4
Globe and Mail	4
CTV	3
Canadian Press	3
CBC News	3
FrancoPresse	3
TVA	2
Le Devoir	2
Bloomberg	1
TFO/TVO	1
Western Standard	1
Journal de Montreal	1
Toronto Star	1
City News	1
National Post	1

Mark Carney, the political 'neophyte', offers a sharp contrast to PP's propensity for trying to control the press, indeed, his blatant bias against hard questions. Take a look at how Carney handled a question from about two weeks ago in Edmonton. In it, the Prime Minister offers a full answer to a hostile questioner from The Western Standard. (You really should watch the entire three minutes to get the full flavour of the punch he delivers at the end.)

Now, a final word from journalist Justin Ling on PP's paranoia::

Ling compared the behaviour of the campaign to a “tin-pot dictator with his little flying press monkeys,” and forecasted “a more serious blow-up between the media and the Conservative press team in the coming days.”

In these troubled times, the last thing Canada needs leading it is a tin-pot dictator, eh? There are enough of those already.