Speaking of tolerance at Berkeley, How Appealing noted this story on Berkeley law students graduation-day protest of Professor John Yoo. While in the Bush Justice Department, Professor Yoo co-authored a memo arguing that the protections of the Geneva Conventions did not apply to captured members of Al Qaeda or the Taliban militia (A copy of the memo is available here in five parts (scroll down); see also here). Some now blame this legal work for helping to create the environment that led to prisoner mistreatment at Abu Gharib. A student petition calls upon Professor Yoo to repudiate the memo and Bush Administration policy or resign. Said one student, “I respect freedom of thought, but I think he should abide by some basic moral standard.” For some students, it seems, tolerance and academic freedom means agree with us or leave.
UPDATE:
The Daily Californian editorializes against the protesting students: “in demanding his resignation, these students are treading on the academic freedom and free speech UC Berkeley students and faculty strive to uphold.” (Via How Appealing)
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