Feb 25, 2005
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jeff tucker - 2/28/2005
The new total is approaching 800, a very inspiring list that puts into a broader context the small-minded, petty efforts of his would-be detractors and oppressors.
Robert L. Campbell - 2/25/2005
Now up to 595 signatures.
jeff tucker - 2/25/2005
Thank you so very much Professor Beito! The response has been inspiring: so far 550 academic and non-academic voices from around the world have weighed to affirm the rights of Hoppe, the sanctity of academic freedom, and critical importance of dissident ideas in the defense of liberty. If you look at the names, you are struck by how international and broad based the support is. It has lifted Hoppe's spirits, which is great, but also the spirits of many teachers and researchers who have faced similar pressures.
This is one reason this is necessary: when all this broke we received many letters from faculty who said that they have long felt the chill and feared discussing difficult topics in class--all due to the political environment which doubt that their university administrations can resist.
One possible effect of this effort here is to show that there is a resistance movement out there, and it is vast and active. The chill isn't going away soon but a letter and a response like this helps give dissident intellectuals a sense that if they get into trouble, at least there are those who will be stand up for them. They are not alone.
It is thanks to the internet and the ACLU that the (or so it seems to me) that the administration has backed down. Thank goodness we have the technology (and processing this level of traffic isn't easy). It comes along just in time to stand up to those who want to silence dissident voices.
Again: here is the Hoppe Petition