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PARTISAN REVIEW
atmosphere in which there is authentic exchange and debate and
in
which people of good will are not being penalized for taking an un–
popular position. The response of most academics, and most academics
are not profiles in courage, is to retreat, to step back into their offices.
to close their doors. This means, again, that the people who do
the
defining gain yet more power. Pessimism is warranted, because it doesn't
take very much for a situation to move in this direction. It's a fragile
world. And it is hard to work our way back to a sort of intellectual
playing field, where ideas can be debated, where we are allowed to label
ourselves instead of being labeled by others. We are in a world oflabel–
ing mania, where you've got to wear a team jersey before people
will
know whether they wi ll talk to you or not. That has to be attacked
at
every turn, but we can't count on most of our colleagues to do it.
Ronald Radosh:
Edith said Gene got upset because something hit
home with him, happened on his own campus. Perhaps he's exaggerat–
ing, perhaps he isn't. But Abigail Thernstrom said, "Look, my husband
still has a cushy job, it wasn't such a big deal."
Abigail Thernstrom:
It was a big deal.
Ronald Radosh:
As you know, what's going on all around the coun–
try is said to be much ado about nothing, that it's exaggerated by the
right wing to make an issue where there is none. I think we have to
be
careful to say that in fact some thin g is happening. I can see that soon
there will be a commentary, probably in
The
Natioll
that nothing indeed
happened to Betsy Genovese, because she shou ld have resigned; that she
was forced out because she was incompetent - and people will be read–
ing it all over the country.
Abigail Thernstrom:
I don't want to be misunderstood. Of course
what happened was very serious; the university should have come clean.
Gene describes it exactly. As everybody knows, Stephen Thernstrom can–
celled the course. He couldn't start tape-recording every conversation he
had with students, so that he could defend himself the next time he was
accused.
Digby Baltzell:
Back in the thirties, the whole press hated Roosevelt.
Yes, the owners of the press hated him but damn near the whole work–
ing press was for him. Then, administrations were concerned. Today, the
administration and those who have their fingers on the power are
politically correct, on the left.
