Whatever else Stanford Professor David Palumbo-Liu may be, he certainly is a champion whiner. Here he takes to the Guardian to whine yet again about his critics claiming that he espouses violence. In doing so, he once again leaves the lingering impression that he does actually espouse violence. And he accuses those critics of McCarthyism, offering a helpful definition of that term which demonstrates that if anyone is engaging in McCarthyism, it is not David Palumbo-Liu’s critics, but David Palumbo-Liu himself.
McCarthyism, he says, involves “the use of tactics involving personal attacks on individuals by means of widely publicized indiscriminate allegations especially on the basis of unsubstantiated charges.”
“Indiscriminate allegations” and “unsubstantiated charges,” eh? Well, let’s look at the record. David Palumbo-Liu has accused me of purveying “right-wing propaganda,” and claimed that I published “lies and distortions” about him that “open[ed] the door to the hate mail, phone calls, threats and harassment that not only I, but also my family, am now subjected to.” Has he offered any evidence of these “threats and harassment,” and demonstrated that they’re connected to my writing about him at Jihad Watch? No, it’s an “unsubstantiated charge.” Has he demonstrated that what I publish is “right-wing propaganda”? No, it’s an “indiscriminate allegation.”
Meanwhile, he says that there is “no evidence” that he has “advocated violence.” Yet in this very article, he says: “The organization I belong to is called the Campus Antifascist Network. We advocate for organized resistance to fascist violence on campus.”
What fascist violence on campus, Professor? You mean like when Leftists rioted over Milo’s appearance at Berkeley? You mean the calls from Leftists that I be physically assaulted at Truman State University? You mean the Leftist mob that injured a professor at a Charles Murray event at Middlebury College in Vermont? Leftist students such as those David Palumbo-Liu counts as his friends and supporters are the real fascists today, emulating the fascists of old in physically menacing and forcibly silencing those they hate, but those aren’t the fascists Palumbo-Liu has in mind. He means conservative students, who haven’t assaulted anyone, or threatened to do so.
In any case, note that he says that his group advocates for “organized resistance to fascist violence on campus.” What kind of organized resistance to violence? Sit-ins? Flowers in gun barrels? Locking arms and marching together toward those who are being violent? What? Palumbo-Liu reveals what he means by “organized resistance to violence” when he writes rather incoherently: “We do not – and never would – advocate – for initiating violence.” The key word in that sentence is “initiating.” He doesn’t condemn responding to perceived “fascist” violence with violence. So does he advocate violence? No. But is he ruling it out? Not in any clear or direct way.
David Palumbo-Liu has previously called for the suppression of views that deviate from the hard-Left line. That’s fascism, and he’s a fascist. And what’s worse is that he is a revered professor at Stanford, and that there are hundreds of professors just like him on campuses all over the country. Universities today, it bears repeating, are no longer institutions of higher learning in which views are freely debated and accepted or rejected on their merits, but centers of hard-Left indoctrination and recruitment.
“I’m a Stanford professor accused of being a terrorist. McCarthyism is back,” by David Palumbo-Liu, Guardian, February 8, 2018:
Today anyone can be accused of anything, without basis in fact or evidence, and that accusation can be instantly trumpeted over the airwaves unchecked by any journalistic standard. That is the painful lesson I have had to learn this year.
As a scholar-activist working on issues such as sexual assault, Palestine, and anti-fascism, I am used to receiving abusive messages and being publicly maligned. Now, however, attacks on me have reached troubling new heights.
Last month, the Stanford Review, a rightwing publication co-founded by Peter Thiel and based on my university campus, wrote that I have helped set up an “organization [that is] undeniably a chapter of a terrorist group” and demanded my resignation. Their article was picked up by groups like JihadWatch, Campus Fix, Campus Reform, Fox & Friends, and other rightwing media outlets.
The organization I belong to is called the Campus Antifascist Network. We advocate for organized resistance to fascist violence on campus, and for educating our communities and others as to the nature of fascism today. We claim solidarity with a proud tradition of anti-fascism dating back to the early 20th century.
The group was founded shortly after the election of Donald Trump, and responded to the steady rise of a well-funded rightwing campaign on college campuses. We do not – and never would – advocate – for initiating violence.
The attack on me is part of a broader phenomenon noted by the American Association of University Professors, which claims that college campuses are the new battleground for conservative groups, far-right organizations and white supremacists. These groups are all trying to intimidate faculty and students, to recruit members, and to attract publicity. Not just careers and reputations are on the line – often personal safety is as well.
Today, we are seeing the resurgence of a wretched phenomenon we thought we had put behind us – McCarthyism, which involves “the use of tactics involving personal attacks on individuals by means of widely publicized indiscriminate allegations especially on the basis of unsubstantiated charges”….
CNN ran a story on the increasing numbers of professors like myself who have faced death threats for their political statements and activism.…
Despite this new and alarming phenomenon on campus, university administrators seem loth [sic, Professor] to aggressively protect their faculty. My own university has left it to me to press charges, and has chosen not to make any public comment on the Stanford Review’s defamation of my character, despite an open letter supporting me signed by nearly 700 members of the Stanford community.
Besides those who signed letters of support, six constitutional law scholars from the Stanford School of Law wrote a letter to the editor of the Stanford Daily declaring that there was no evidence that I had advocated violence, nor that I am a member of a terrorist group. These then were my sources of support, not the university. Yet this has not stopped the attacks on me….
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
Remember that McCarthyism was defined in falsehood. Back when the scandal was growing, there were indeed many communists in the U.S. gov’t. When the FBI demanded his lists, Sen. McCarthy insisted that it be kept secret. The FBI agreed, and promptly welshed on the agreement. A star was born.
MFritz says
Yeah, but also see where he ended. He played this card for way too long and also tried to abuse it for political reasons and to push his career. There are very good reasons why he is more infamous than famous now.
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
Yeah, but since then we’ve been saddled with the notion that calling out socialism and disloyalty must by definition indicate an insane politician. When I look around now, especially with the bloodless coup of Trump going on, there seems to be no end to socialism and disloyalty afoot. He got sold out by the FBI, and went downhill from there as he doubled down.
Carolyne says
I don’t think he went downhill at all, despite the coup attempted by our intelligence agencies. He has accomplished much in his first year.
Andy says
Britain, America,, Canada, Australia, Western Europe… Prepare yourself accordingly
This is study material for Stanford professor David Palumbo-Liu and Marxist ideology way of thinking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TfAq3LrIjg
Voytek Gagalka says
“We do not – and never would – advocate – for initiating violence.” Except when any of president Trump supporters or other “right-wingers” and “Islamophobes” will cross our line! Then all bets are off because we cannot help ourselves and stand still while seeing them insolently daring to cross that said line (provoking us by presenting us with their “logical arguments,” ripostes, etc.)! Is that not so, “professor”?
mortimer says
Voytek, as you know, it isn’t TERRORISM when COMMUNISTS DO IT… it’s “ACTIVISM”.
However, whenever Leftards say things like, “SMASH THE FASCIST COUNTERREVOLUTIONARIES!”, what I hear is : 1) Arrest anyone who criticizes us and hold them without a trial 2) torture those who criticize until they give us a list of names of people who know nothing, but we will torture them as well 3) after torture, send the victims to the GULAG for 10 years 4) if the victims SURVIVE the gulag, put them in INTERNAL EXILE for the remainder of their lives.
THAT is not considered ‘terrorism’ by Leftards.
J D S says
Well it’s Stanford…What can be expected…Faculty or student…
MFritz says
“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?”
Well, Mr Palumbo-Lin (never trust a double name!), it looks like Matthew knew the likes of you.
Westman says
Perhaps belonging to CAN is not good for a professors reputation when it supports a sustained adolescent graduate student who made false claims and tried to instigate violence.
According to CampusReform: “Tariq Khan is a PhD candidate at the university and has taught courses such as “Constructing Race in America” and “U.S. Gender History since 1877.” He is also involved with various anarchist and communist organizations including Black Rose Anarchist Federation and Antifa, in addition to working with the undergraduate socialist students.”
The source: http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=10171
It would be more intelligent for professors to exit CAN than be trapped in its gauche-laden gravitas.
mortimer says
I accuse David Palumbo-Liu of MAOIST RED-GUARDISM.
Slogans of CHAIRMAN DAVE!
-Smash the four olds of jahiliyya!
-Smash the gang of four … Jews, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs!
-Decisively throw out the Anti-Party clique of Islamocritics!
-Socialist peoples of all nationalities will continue to adhere to the people’s democratic dictatorship and the socialist road, persevere in reform and open up the Islamic Allies!
-Have fewer children, raise more pigs! (oops, we will change that last word to ‘goats or camels’)
-A harmonious society should feature democracy, the rule of Sharia law, equity between Muslims, justice for Muslims, sincerity, amity between Muslims and vitality through Islam.
-Three Supremes! = the grand judges, grand imams and grand procurators shall always regard as supreme the party’s cause, the people’s interest, and the constitution and Sharia law of the Ummah!
-Sailing the seas depends on the helmsman, waging revolution depends on Prophet Mo Thought!
-Great teacher, Great leader, Great commander, Great helmsman – Long live Chairman Mo!
Norger says
The organization (Antifa) he belongs to seeks to educate “our communities and others as to the nature of fascism today.” That’s rich. Try looking in the mirror pal.
Carolyne says
If he should look in the mirror, he would see a hilarious attempt to look like Fu Manchu, a fictitious movie character.
Up is down and down is up, wrong is right and right is wrong–the motto of all of these anti-American ignoramuses, many of whom teach in our colleges.
Ray Jarman says
I am really sick and tired of listening to people who are completely ignorant of Joseph McCarthy. Firstly, he never simply accused anyone of being a communist agent of Stalin without proof as history has vindicated him. Every name on his list was proven in court such as Anne Lee Moss in the courts as well as the Venona List which is a list of Soviet saboteurs and agents. The CIA and NSA broke the encryption of this list found in the vaults of the old KGB. People who use his name should at least understand that the State Department closed the files of those being investigated if they resign and can then they apply for a position in another agency, say the Treasury where they at the time continued their attacks on America. He was also going after people such as Moss who worked as a cleaning lady but was stealing information and sending back to Moscow. Names such as Alger Hiss and Harry Hopkins were on the list. It always reminds me of people who have never read even “The Prince” much less “Discourses” refer to others’ actions as Machiavellian.
Carolyne says
In fact, Ms. Moss worked as a cleaning lady at the Pentagon and retrieved material helpful to the Soviets by examining contents of trash cans and passing helpful material on. The start of the downfall of Sen. McCarthy, who was BTW, a close friend of the Kennedys, was Walter Cronkite when he said, “Have you no shame, sir?” Sort of like today’s “Journalists.” Walter Cronkite is held as some kind of journalistic paragon. He was not.
Ray Jarman says
Thanks for the correction for I thought she had worked at a defense contractor in the New Jersey area where Burroughs and other companies were building encryption devices and military weapons designers. As far as Cronkite is concerned, he just followed onto Edward R. Murrow’s unjustified claim to being an honest reporter. Murrow more than any other reporter hurt McCarthy which tarnished him in my eyes and negated his excellent reporting from WWII. Even the Democrats realized she was guilty after being provided the evidence. I always smile when as Alan Drury pointed out that Walter Lippmann called Cronkite “Little Walter” and since Lippmann certainly out shined him. I still contend that McCarthy was a true patriot and like Robert Spencer, Pamela Geller and other brave hearts have been smeared.
Lydia Church says
Acronym # 3,245:
PCTKB
Short for: “The Pot Calling The Kettle Black.”
With one arrow, that nails his coat tails to the wall.
sidney penny says
“I’m a Stanford professor accused of being a terrorist. McCarthyism is back,” by David Palumbo-Liu, Guardian, February 8, 2018:
“I’m a Stanford professor ”
This is called an argument from authority and it is the weakest argument of all.
Just because you are a university professor cannot mean you are not a terrorist.
DFD says
It’s going to get a lot weirder than this. If the enemy can’t be named properly… “We have” a situation within which the left wingers are frequently referred to as “right wingers” and vice versa.
For instance the term: ‘Islamofascist’s’, even more hilarious however is the ‘fascist’ Antifa (they must be peeing themselves with laughter!) whilst the very term ‘Antifa’ stands for ‘Anitfascist’! Simultaneously of course Antifa is hard left of the Maoists – obviously, Mao, like Stalin, was a Nazi!
To anti-jihadists this makes perfectly sense, proof: It is frequently pointed out, on anti-jihad websites, that the national socialist were indeed socialists, and even nationalists! Wow! Who could have guessed that? Which is of course extremely important given the prime objective, namely fighting the spread of Islam. And here such pieces of ‘knowledge and understanding’ are of extreme importance to achieve such aims. Well, I am sure that the likes of Soros, Merkel and Obama or Trodeau will agree. Their heads bobbing up and down approving such logic, nay, of such brightness even!
Will the left and their Muslim pals win? HOW CAN THEY LOSE against such intellectual sharpness? Such overwhelming understanding? Just ask David Palumbo-Liu! He most definitely understands.
tgusa says
Oh man, this is rich. McCarthyism is defined as a campaign or practice that endorses the use of unfair allegations and investigations. Many of the accused were blacklisted or lost their jobs. Sounds familiar. As a graduate of Berserkley you no doubt feel right at home with the contemporary version of leftist McCarthyism, perfesser.
Ray Jarman says
I have written about this already on the subject. You are suggesting that McCarthy attacked people unfairly which is blatantly false. Every name that Joseph McCarthy had on his list has been proven beyond doubt through investigations as well as the Venona List. I defy you or anyone else to prove that any person that the Senator named was guilty. Also I get very tired of people using the Senator’s name in relation to the investigations into Hollywood and the Screen Actors’ Guild. Those investigations had absolutely nothing to do with McCarthy. It was the House on Un-American Activities led by Pennsylvania Democrat Congressman Francis E. Walter.