IT SEEMS LIKE AN EXODUS OF STAR ACADEMICS HAS STARTED, WITH THESE FIRST TO CANADA
Free Speech. The Right to Assembly (and peaceful protest). These are just two of many, many American rights that are at a minimum tarnished by the Trump Administration 2.0, and at worst are already bygones of the past. And Trump’s all-out war on higher education is making it clear to all foreign-nationals: the United States is no longer the Land of the Free or a safe place to live and work. Graduate students are disappearing, professors, visiting scholars as well. And what do they have in common? They’re not American citizens, and according to Trump have no protections from whatever accusations he wants to level at them. So we shouldn’t be surprised that an exodus of star academics to Canada has already begun.
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ONE OF THE ACADEMICS LEAVING FOR SECURITY LITERALLY WROTE THE BOOK, HOW FASCISM WORKS
The number aren’t large yet. But the people leaving are notable success stories in higher education. In other words, smart accomplished people who not only think it’s smart to leave the United States, it’s smart to leave right now. There are 3 leaving Yale University for the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy in Toronto. They are a married couple, Timothy D. Snyder, and Marci Shore, and one Jason Stanley. You may know Stanley’s name because he wrote the books, How Fascism Works and On Tyranny. It seems this expert on tyranny and fascism doesn’t like what he sees, and is going to greener, safer pastures.
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THE LOGIC IS SCARY, BUT WHEN WILL FREE SPEECH RESTRICTIONS APPLY TO AMERICAN CITIZENS, TOO?
You may be thinking that 3 star academics leaving the U.S. is no big deal. But it marks a turning point, and we should expect a snowball effect, where not only do amazing professionals think it’s safer to leave the United States as foreigners, but that they will soon be recruited aggressively to take their talents anywhere else in the still Free World. Stanley made it clear the level of his concern over free speech in America these days, saying, “But how could you speak out loudly if you’re not an American citizen? And if you can’t speak out loudly if you’re not an American citizen, when will they come for the American citizens? It’s inevitable.”
This sentiment is scary, because he’s literally an authority, now somewhere else. This small exodus started to Canada is just the beginning.
