Freedom isn’t free

The students lined up at the front of the lecture hall to take a crack at the professor. He had the audacity to argue that annihilation of the Native American cultures was inevitable. Two weeks of this Colorado History class at CU-Boulder was consumed by students trying to jar the professor from his position. But he held fast. He argued that the European culture was superior technologically, that human population was expanding, and that inevitably a culture that prized individual ownership of land would overrun a collective culture. He was unflappable as outraged students attacked him logically and emotionally. I was among the students who bought his pragmatic view but chose to be spectators to his single-handed defense.

Though I now believe his interpretation privileges technological advancement and land ownership over all other values, I still admire his courage. This scene occurred in the 1970s in Boulder, a time and place where such a stand was counter to the revolution.

The story comes to mind because academic freedom is once again in debate. I doubt that academic freedom will be knocked out in this round, but I know it will always take courage to exercise it.