It turns out that two Law professors, from opposite sides of the United States, published an op-ed entitled “Paying the Price for the Breakdown of Bourgeois Culture” in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The article starts out quite bluntly:

“Too few Americans are qualified for the jobs available. Male working-age labor-force participation is at Depression-era lows. Opioid abuse is widespread. Homicidal violence plagues inner cities. Almost half of all children are born out of wedlock, and even more are raised by single mothers. Many college students lack basic skills, and high school students rank below those from two dozen other countries.”

Ok. Sounds like a fair tenet to me. Harsh, but true, as they say.

Apparently, their opinion column has now been labeled “hate speech” or “racist” and has become the root of some sort of scandal.

The National Review has also taken note, and in an almost defensive tone, continued further comment with its own opinion piece, “Bourgeois Scandal Tars Law Prof Amy Wax with Racism Charge”

In that piece, writer Heather MacDonald, an admitted colleague of Wax, states:

“Throwing caution to the winds, they (the writers) challenge the core tenet of multiculturalism: “All cultures are not equal,” they write. “Or at least they are not equal in preparing people to be productive in an advanced economy.” Unless America’s elites again promote personal responsibility and other bourgeois virtues, the country’s economic and social problems will only worsen, they conclude.”

Penn Law has distanced itself from the developing situation, but only after asserting:

“The administration should make it crystal clear that reasoned argumentation is not ‘hate speech’ or a ‘discriminatory act’.”

Bravo, Penn Law.  I couldn’t agree more. Now stand behind that statement!

If we can’t debate and discuss, without fear of ignorant and abusive reprisal, then Freedom of Speech, as guaranteed by the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution, has truly been lost, now and forevermore.

Just to say I did, that text is posted below:

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

And that, my friends, is One Man’s Opinion… and I’m fairly certain I’m not alone in that opinion.