BTW

[timelets]

Academic freedom of speech applies to one's opinions, generally within their field of expertise. It doesn't apply to facts. The 2020 Presidential elections were conducted fairly and their results were upheld by courts according to the relevant US laws. Such are the facts. Mr. Illarionov got fired because he intentionally misrepresented facts about the elections, which is incompatible with intellectual honesty expected from academics (even from libertarians!) when they exercise their freedom of speech.

Comments

[timelets]

Nobel Prize winners were escorted out of their university positions for promoting stupid concepts that had nothing to do with what they were good at. Robert Shockley would be one of the most clear examples.

[ppk_ptichkin]

Well, Shockley was an expert in *something* at least. Illarionov is a hot-air artist.

[timelets]

Shockley was, practically, a genius. It's really sad that he went totally bananas in his later years.

[tijd]

The roots of trumpism in GOP extend to the "New Right" of late 1970s, which brought religion (evangelicalism) into politics. The key role in this movement was played by Tom Ellis of North Carolina. In addition to his other endeavors, Ellis was the director of Pioneer Fund, which sponsored Shockley's work on eugenics https://puppet-djt.livejournal.com/159934.html?thread=484286#t484286

Some of the historical connections are closer than they appear in the rear-view mirror.