“He’s not been living among militant revolutionaries the last few years,” the University of Maryland history professor says. “He’s been going to Georgetown.”

Oh really? http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=18788

After spending time on that little totalitarian oasis in American democracy, its not surprising Waskar Ari is on a watch list for Homeland security. As professor Steven Plaut once stated: “Georgetown University may be one of the few places on earth where someone can build an entire academic career based upon sucking up to the late Edward Said’s corpse.”

From the press release, which I suspect is a more reliable source than frontpagemag.com:

He has served as a consultant on social and economic issues confronting the Aymara community with various organizations (the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank) in the Washington area

Says it all.

To all of those here on this forum who are not familiar with Georgetown University, its a ‘hotbed’ for Marxist militantism and anti-Americanism anti-Israel demonization. I’m sure that Abu Omar doesn’t agree.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060223-094058-6793r.htm

So Anonymous, just what reliability issues do you have with FPM?Please, I am all ears. Because this guy has served as a consultant tells me nothing at all. Actually, the story in that paper offers no info for the HomeLand Securities decision to not issue him a visa.

As for using Georgetown U as a credibility reference, I am not impressed. I can’t make a solid opinion without more info.

A bloke studies at a uni where once there was a Palestinian Solidarity meeting – and that means he shouldn’t get entry to the US? Well that’s my trip to Yosemitee screwed (and probably that of just about anyone else who has ever been to any university anywhere).

Toby, you miss the point.

Waskar Ari’s time at Georgetown University was being used as an excuse to exhonorate him from any hint of subversiveness, while GU is a noted example of Leftist extremism in academia.

I also go on to note that nothing from Home Land security has been provided to give any backgorund on their concerns over Ari. I did indeed say I can’t make a solid opinion without more info.

Time spent at Georgetown University though, is not enough of a reference.

I’m not missing the point – your ‘evidence’ that GU is a hotbed of “leftist extremism in academia” is one report of a Palestinian Solidarity meeting. I’ve studied at three different unis and been around others – and if that is evidence of leftist extremism in academia my point is that _all_ these universities are ‘guilty of the same thing; and therefore all of us who have studied and worked in them can’t claim that our years there show that we have been inoffensive and hopefully useful members of society. This seems a bit extreme in its own right.

To those who consider themselves on right of the US debate, are there any universities that aren’t dangerously leftist? The deligitimisation of US academic knowledge has been one of the great successes of the rightwing blogosphere-thinktank nexus from my position as an outside observer.

Academia in the US is grossly baised to the Left (which means Europe is even worse) According to Ann Neal (President American Council of Trustees and Alumni):
Despite the central importance of the robust exchange of ideas to a quality education, evidence has been mounting that many, if not most, of our colleges and universities are increasingly hostile to the free exchange of ideas. Surveys by Klein, Rothman, McGinnis and others document the political one-sidedness of university faculties—with absolutely no evidence to the contrary. [By way of example, a study released in late December by Professor Dan Klein found an immense imbalance in the breakdown of Democrats to Republicans ranging from 21.1:1 among anthropologists; 9:1:1 among political and legal philosophers; 8.5:1 amongst historians; and 5.6 to 1 amongst political scientists.]Despite the arguments by many that faculty do not import their politics into the classroom, our survey found that a shocking 49 percent of the students surveyed said that their professors frequently injected political comments into their courses, even if they had nothing to do with the subject.

29 percent of the respondents felt that they had to agree with the professor’s political views to get a good grade. 48 percent reported campus panels and lecture series on political issues that seemed “totally one-sided.” 46 percent said professors “used the classroom to present their personal political views.” And 42 percent faulted reading assignments for presenting only one side of a controversial issue.

http://www.goacta.org/whats_new/IDTestimony02-08-06.htm

It only stands to reason that if there is a gross imbalance in the politcal outlooks of the professors, it will translate in the academic life of the college campuses as well.

Again………I restate that I said earlier ‘Since Home Land security has not given the reasons why Ari is not welcome into the US, I can make a solid opinion on the matter. But Using Georgetown as an excuse for admission is not convincing.

How come the name Joe McCarthy springs to mind…