Blind Spot

Here's an interesting first-person narrative from a professor in academia about his experience with the liberal bias of that institution. From the Chronicle of Higher Education, via Instapundit.

As if to confirm that I was indeed just being paranoid, I sat through 50 minutes of my first faculty meeting on the campus with nary a mention of politics. I must have read the parking lot wrong, I thought. Then, in the final few minutes of the meeting, a senior faculty member arose to make an announcement: A faculty panel would discuss the impact of September 11 on the United States, with the dean of the college offering summary remarks.
There was no hint of a leftward lean -- until, that is, the senior faculty member added, "And just in case the students don't get our message on how to vote in November, we have arranged for a showing of Fahrenheit 9/11 directly after the panel."

Having sat through such political torture myself a number of times, I know just how this new faculty member is feeling. By far the most disconcerting aspect of being a conservative in a liberal enclave that supposedly exists to facilitate learning, is the casual and complete cluelessness about the possibility of other viewpoints. These liberal minds cannot conceive of anyone at their intellectual level disagreeing with their political position. It's breathtaking to observe. Even after the election, when more than 50 % of the country did not vote their way, they are incapable of understanding it and prefer to use concepts like "ignorant masses"; stupid rightwing nuts" etc. etc. They look in the rear mirror of their imported, upscale cars and see the traffic, but somehow never manage to check their blind spot. I suppose that's why they keep getting run over by the truck.