Leftist academic mobs act like gangs of mean kids. Once they have found a target for their bullying, they just won’t let up. There’s a troubling case in point in England and in today’s Martin Center article, GMU economics professor Dan Klein writes about it.

The person at the center of the case is a self-described conservative, Noah Carl. He has done some excellent research, but has put the “progressives” in a rage by writing an essay defending the ethics of doing research into the link, if any, between race and cognitive ability. Carl has’t done that research, but argued that it should not be taboo.


That “triggered” the academic mob and it came after him with every nasty trick in the book and Klein enumerates the tactics:

The takedown M-O:

Sling epithets (“racist,” etc.); Create a strawman; Create outlandish stereotypes; Misrepresent what the target of the takedown says, for example by representing a “sometimes” statement as an “always” or “never” statement; Level accusations too vague or incoherent to confute; Say that the target’s views are “extremist;” Ascribe base motives to the target’s words or deeds; Treat civil discussion or mere contact as suspicious “collaboration;” Pass along rumors of such “collaboration;” Presume guilt instead of innocence; Do not let the targeted speak or face his assailants; Do not allow anyone to voice opposition; Ignore or misrepresent counter-argumentation; Mobilize mobbism; Deplatform or no-platform those who pose a challenge to leftism.

Cambridge officials caved in to the pressure and rescinded Carl’s fellowship. I’m betting that the mob will want to see Carl punished further.

Klein concludes:

It is vital that we stand up against leftist incivility. When socialists take over ‘the commanding heights’ of the economy, there is little we can do. When they take over the commanding heights of culture, however, we do not lie prostrate: We make those heights less commanding, by developing dissent, criticism, and alternative culture. The sons and daughters of liberal civilization shall not go quietly.