Editor's Note: The following is an excerpt of an article originally published by National Review. It is reposted here with permission.
In this piece, Chris Kendall chronicles the recent cancellation of Dr. Bruce Gilley, whose book and book series were both canceled (literally) after an online petition surfaced, claiming that Gilley's work was poorly researched, white-nationalist, and eurocentric. Kendall dissects the claims of the petitioner, Joshua Moufawad-Paul, and describes how this fits into the broader problem cancel culture in American academia. For more on this topic, click here.
Moufawad-Paul’s petition is merely the latest in an ever-increasing trend toward the suppression of legitimate, dissenting views in the academy through the coordination of mob-delivered “justice” that takes the suspiciously convenient form of whatever the complainant believes to be right. Academia has functioned on this principle, or one quite similar, for some time, though recently the attacks have taken on a brazenness and ferocity unknown in prior years.
What can be done? Gilley has learned to take a measured approach. “Part of my lesson from the last time is that the backlash comes slowly but powerfully. My mistake last time was that I panicked and issued a retraction. I’m not going to do that this time.”
The National Association of Scholars has published a counter-petition to defend Gilley. If you believe in the value of academic freedom, if you believe that scholars should be able to dissent from orthodox views in the academy, then I urge you to sign our petition in support of Gilley.
Chris Kendall is Director of Development at the National Association of Scholars.
