Understanding the US - Again

[Amber G.]

Meanwhile, Usha Vance to visit Greenland

[Mort Walker]

Meanwhile, Usha Vance to visit Greenland

What purpose does this serve besides a photo op? The US DoD has decades of experience from being at Thule in Greenland.

The US Iditarod in Alaska is far more representative of a well organized dog sled race in March.

[Kati]

House committee calls on Purdue's president Chiang to release info on Chinese students

https://www.jconline.com/story/news/loc ... 592126007/

[Didn't know that the US House has a dedicated committee focused on the CPC]

[Kati]

A longtime target of the right is finally buckling under Trump pressure
The right has long resented universities. Trump figured out how to hurt them.
https://www.vox.com/politics/405645/tru ... n-research

[Vayutuvan]

The above article in Vox is an opinion piece with left bias. Vox itself is people by folks from NYT, WaPo, Slate, and The Atlantic.

Editor in chief is Swati Sharma, ex The Atlantic and before that from WaPo. Editor-at-large Lauren Williams is ex Mother Jones which is "a non-profit left wing" as per wikipedia.

From here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vox_(website), I quote

In November 2022, it was reported by Reason magazine that Sam Bankman-Fried—founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX—had issued major grants to a number of predominantly left-leaning political media outlets, including Vox.[22]

It is a hit piece which is protecting the left-leaning faculty and student body of the elite universities.

@Kati ji, could you please summarize that article? I quickly scanned and it doesn't pass the smell test.

[Vayutuvan]

I request all posters to at least summarize and post a couple of sentences as to why and how link they posted leads to a better understanding of the US in its totality - left, right, and centist points of view.

[Vayutuvan]

This interview is a very interesting one because the interviewee a was President of UMichigan and was a defendant in a case whose outcome was precedent setting. What is interesting to me was what questions he skirted around. The interviewer also did not press Prof. Bollinger.

https://www.chronicle.com/article/were- ... n-takeover

Access requires a free registration to The Chronicle of Higher Education. BRF members posted circtial comments at this website on an article that was pushing anti-India propaganda several years ago. That is when I registered. Several other forum members who posted comments are still active here.

(I quote from the article)

‘We’re in the Midst of an Authoritarian Takeover’:
Lee Bollinger on Trump, Columbia, and why capitulation won’t work.

Lee Bollinger retired as president of Columbia University in 2023 after 21 years in office. A First Amendment scholar, he is one of the most influential academic administrators in recent American history. As president of the University of Michigan from 1996 until 2002, he successfully defended affirmative action at Michigan’s law school in the landmark 2003 case Grutter v. Bollinger, which was the law of the land until 2023, when the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.

The nearly two years since Bollinger stepped down have been tumultuous at Columbia. Pro-Palestinian protests and police crackdowns ended the brief tenure of his successor, Nemat (Minouche) Shafik, who resigned in August. We wanted to hear from Bollinger about the extraordinary political events engulfing the university he led for so long — as well as about affirmative action, the question of campus antisemitism, the relationship between First Amendment jurisprudence and campus speech, and how college leaders should handle the Trump administration. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity. (ed: After reading the whole interview, I find that is a cop out. My impression was that Prof. Bollinger supported the Palestinian protesters which was edited out considering the backlash these protesters are facing from the US public and especially the Jewish students on the campuses)
...
Bollinger: Deans and provosts and presidents are pretty much selected for their academic distinction, for their understanding of the academic way of life. How do you recruit people? How do you decide who to give tenure to? What should be the areas of knowledge that should be emphasized? Those things are incredibly important to the leadership of a university. Universities are unique communities. They live by norms that nobody else on the planet does. There’s an emphasis on open-mindedness, skepticism, trying to expand knowledge, digging into areas that maybe very few people care about but that are important to humanity. They’re very special, unique communities. You want people who understand that. (ed: He is not totally honest in the highlighted part. University administrators have to politically savvy and in fact several presidents come from Law school, social sciences, or political sciences. Their students go into politics and they themselves are roped in to their students' administrations)
...

[bala]

DJT is signing executive orders and introducing ambassadors of the US to various nations.

Amongst DJT exec orders:

1. Declassification of FBI files of crossfire hurricane which FBI used against DJT 1.0 prosecution. This was weaponization of FBI.
2. Number of law firms used in weaponization of the legal system are going to be investigated and barred from confidential govt information.
3. Electronic transfer for payment by US treasury instead of paper checks. So effectively like India's DBT. All payments are henceforth going to be controlled by US Treasury.
4. Election integrity: Requirement of Citizenship of US for voting in questionaire for voting. No illegal immigrants on electoral voting.

DJT also has each ambassador talk briefly.

youtube.com/watch?v=VD8OyvOocq8

[Vayutuvan]

From this interview https://www.chronicle.com/article/were- ... n-takeover, I find the following to be particularly problematic in the sense that Prof.Bollinger wants Universities to be outside the purview of the taxpaying public. It is an elitist view that is verging on to bringing in plutocracy to replace the republic/democracy. I am highlighting those in red.

Gutkin: One of the calculations university leaders are having to make right now is whether to fight or whether to try and negotiate some compromise with the Trump administration, specifically with respect to antisemitism and its supposed ubiquity on campus. So far, they mostly seem to be agreeing with the administration that they are guilty of real lapses in protecting Jewish or Israeli students from discriminatory abuse. So they’ve done things to try and mitigate that. Just today, UCLA set up a new “Initiative to Combat Antisemitism.” Have universities conceded too much in advance?

Bollinger: I can’t comment specifically on current responses among universities, in part because they are facing an extremely difficult and, I would say, unprecedented political environment and, in part, because they are being put in a vise of dealing with an admittedly serious problem and being presented with an existential threat by forces unclear about what they really want. I can, however, make more general comments.

First, I believe universities must understand what their identity is, their role in the society, and then express and defend that identity. It is my view that the First Amendment should extend special protections to universities just as it arguably does for the press, as institutions of systemic importance serving the public’s interest in advancing understanding and knowledge and in informing the public about vital issues. Courts have afforded universities important protections because they are part of the bedrock of American values, (ed: Is anti-semitism an american value? Is supporting terrorists an American value?) reflected in the Constitution. Universities need to articulate that special role and defend it.

Second, I think that seeking shelter in the courts is most often the necessary path. I share the view of those who argue that the government cannot intrude into university decision-making without compelling reasons, whether directly or by placing unconstitutional conditions on funding. (ed: Prof. Bollinger wants unrestricted funding to the universities to do what they please with no oversight from the representatives of the tax-paying hoi-polloi?! Boggles my mind)

To summarize, Prof. Bollinger is not a centrist nor even a moderate liberal. American academia, is thoroughly infiltrated by radical left-islamist ideologues, who will stop at nothing to destroy any govt. that they view as nationalistic, conservative, or right leaning. No wonder that they throw mud at Modi and India non-stop. "Hindu majority India" is an easy target after all.

[ramana]

Meanwhile, Usha Vance to visit Greenland

The VP JD Vance confirmed he is also visiting Greenland to see the US base there.

[Amber G.]

Meanwhile, Usha Vance to visit Greenland

The VP JD Vance confirmed he is also visiting Greenland to see the US base there.

Another diplomatic first (and not in a good way, IMO) - the prime minister of Greenland calls a visit by the U.S. second lady and high level officials “highly aggressive”. Greenland and Denmark say they did not invite this U.S. delegation. News report sauy DJT is going to visit Greenland in September.
(JD Vance called Denmark is not a good ally…and said Trump doesn't care about what the Europeans think etc..)

[Vayutuvan]

Denmark is whining too much. What is their claim to Greenland? Denmark used to give USD 250 M "aid" to Bharat and lectured bharateeya. They were asked to keep their aid and ... never mind ... . After that they stopped giving bhaashaN to bhaarat.

I am saddened to see this hamdardi for a wealthy homogenous European country from a BRF senior with over 10K posts. It is a long standing convention that US leaders are not criticized by the opposition while they are abroad.

[bala]

Vayu ji, isn't Denmark another nation that involved itself in colonial loot of the world. I remember Tharangabadi in TN has a danish fort and Kerala also was visited by the Danes. So these countries like the Britshits were involved in looting the wealth of India, but today they feel little guilty and surround themselves with supercilliousness/holier than thou attitude. The guilt forced them to give bakshish back to India and put them on a pedestal to lecture India/Bharat.

I sometimes dream of 1000 desis each accumulating a billion each from these colonial loot nations and repatriating it back to India.

[drnayar]

Vayu ji, isn't Denmark another nation that involved itself in colonial loot of the world. I remember Tharangabadi in TN has a danish fort and Kerala also was visited by the Danes. So these countries like the Britshits were involved in looting the wealth of India, but today they feel little guilty and surround themselves with supercilliousness/holier than thou attitude. The guilt forced them to give bakshish back to India and put them on a pedestal to lecture India/Bharat.

I sometimes dream of 1000 desis each accumulating a billion each from these colonial loot nations and repatriating it back to India.

thats what the indian diaspora does .. but the point is its still glorified " coolie jobs" be it white or blue collar jobs.. and that is STILL pro colonial mentality.

Bharat's true potential lies in its own innovation skills and entrepreneurship , not to mention leader ship in a world that is getting increasingly fragmented.

[vijayk]

https://x.com/balajis/status/1904830270135820757

Very good point

Dollar inflation is global taxation.

If the ~$6T printed since 2020 was spread across just 330M Americans rather than 8B+ globally, you'd go from printing <$1k/head to almost $20k/head. And purchasing power would drop accordingly.

This is MAGA's fundamental error.

They correctly observe that (say) Maui got $700 checks while Ukraine got $100B+, but then incorrectly conclude that all Americans are therefore being ripped off by the world.

In reality, American Empire implements global taxation via dollar inflation. So the smarter route would be for MAGA to fix the empire piece-by-piece, by supporting conservatives and libertarians in Europe, by deregulating domestically, by making the minimum necessary enemies, and by redirecting that flow of printed money — rather than breaking up the whole empire in a negative-sum cloud of dust via tariffs and trade war. That just hands off the world to China, which is poised to pick up the pieces.

After all, the American Empire is the greatest empire in human history, with 750 military bases across the globe, larger than even the British Empire at its peak. Shutting it down precipitously over the illusion that America is simply a "country" like any other will cause tremendous short- and medium-run damage to those in the seat of empire.

What happens if you're in a country that's both deindustrialized and dedollarized?

Not good things.

The closest parallel may be Russia in the 90s. They also had globally uncompetitive factories, devalued currencies, and lost imperial identities.

[vijayk]

Counter point

Do not panic. Everything is going according to plan. Which plan? The one written by Stephen Miran, Trump’s chair of economic advisors in what is called the “Mar-a-Lago Accord.” (link below). The idea:
The dollar is structurally overvalued.
It’s killing U.S. industry.
Solution: weaken USD via coordinated or unilateral policy — and use tariffs as leverage.

https://x.com/viktorfischer/status/1899 ... System.pdf

[sanjaykumar]

Danmark in fact was in possession of the Andaman Islands. Their occupation saw some good social work. In how to be civilised and how to keep your god from looting other gods.

[drnayar]

The VP JD Vance confirmed he is also visiting Greenland to see the US base there.

Another diplomatic first (and not in a good way, IMO) - the prime minister of Greenland calls a visit by the U.S. second lady and high level officials “highly aggressive”. Greenland and Denmark say they did not invite this U.S. delegation. News report say DJT is going to visit Greenland in September.
(JD Vance called Denmark is not a good ally…and said Trump doesn't care about what the Europeans think etc..)

Amber ji., this visit is testing waters to see how the Danes react and sensitize the Danes to more needling wrt to Greenland. I would rather want this treatment done to the potential 51st state up north

[Amber G.]

<snip>

I am flabbergasted with all this Eurotrash hamdardi from BRF seniors with over 10K posts. Why this anti-US stand, I wonder.

Another snide comment from you, injecting your toxic and irrelevant opinions into someone else's discussion. And yet, you saw fit to launch a personal attack, labeling others as 'Eurotrash' and questioning their stance. Your trolling tactics are not only juvenile but also transparent. If you have something meaningful to contribute, spare us from this constant trolling and try engaging in a constructive dialogue...

[Cyrano]

While Vayutuvan Garu is eminently capable of responding to the above, in my reading of what he wrote, he is not calling any poster Eurotrash. He is asking why some posters seem to have hamdardi ie sympathy for Denmarkis.

If you want to take offence for Denmarkis, oh well, whatever, knock yourself out.

[KL Dubey]

BRF is for Indian interests and for a wide variety of Indian perspectives. Who are foreign posters to question the preferences and perspectives that we have ?

[KL Dubey]

Another diplomatic first (and not in a good way, IMO) - the prime minister of Greenland calls a visit by the U.S. second lady and high level officials “highly aggressive”. Greenland and Denmark say they did not invite this U.S. delegation. News report say DJT is going to visit Greenland in September.
(JD Vance called Denmark is not a good ally…and said Trump doesn't care about what the Europeans think etc..)

Amber ji., this visit is testing waters to see how the Danes react and sensitize the Danes to more needling wrt to Greenland. I would rather want this treatment done to the potential 51st state up north

Mostly time wasting speculations.

As I expected, nobody in Kalallit Nunat (Greenland) is interested in the Vance visit. They are not welcome. So, this visit is just to the US military base. No dog sled watching or "learning about the greenland culture". They probably realized that any visit to public places in KN would be met with protests and humiliation, all of which will be reported by media. If they want to watch a dog sled race, why not go to Alaska.

Nearly all western countries have a colonial past of some kind, it is stupidity (mainly from some foreign posters) to wish for successful expansionism of one western country at the expense of another. I agree, emergence of continual divisions between western countries may be in the short-term/medium-term interests of Bharat, but emergence of decisive victors in such conflicts are not in Bharat's interest.

As for KN history: KN has been with the kingdom of Denmark since the 1300s, which is many centuries longer than the US has existed. The Danes have generally not plundered its natural resources. KN is also on a gradual path to independence/sovereignty, a process that Denmark respects and is not opposed to.

If KN becomes independent (and likely remain part of the EU), it would be the first sovereign country of the indigenous Arctic people. That is not what the US wants - it wants to annex it and continue the same rule of europeans over the indigenous peoples that currently populate a vast swath of territory (Scandinavia-KN-Canadian arctic-Alaska-Russian arctic). Why should Bharat support that instead of supporting KN independence?

[Tanaji]

On another topic:

The news and social media is full of events about the tightening and extra security at the border with legit green card and citizens being subjected to detention. One part of me thinks that brown people always had this experience, a ruckus is now being raised as it is now affecting the whites. The CBP were always obnoxious and overstepping authority but they claimed they had the right to do so within 100 miles of the border that conveniently includes most population centres.

My question to US based posters: have your travel plans changed on that basis and if you have travelled recently have you found a difference?

[Vayutuvan]

Another snide comment from you, injecting your toxic and irrelevant opinions into someone else's discussion. And yet, you saw fit to launch a personal attack, labeling others as 'Eurotrash' and questioning their stance. Your trolling tactics are not only juvenile but also transparent. If you have something meaningful to contribute, spare us from this constant trolling and try engaging in a constructive dialogue...

I am not calling you Eurotrash nor is it snide comment. I am certainly questioning your judgement of criticizing the foreign policy of a democratically elected US administration.

Yes, it is not only your right but even your patriotic duty to criticize the govt. In this particular instance though, your criticism is not justified. Are we - you are an US citizen Afaik and I am too - not protecting Denmark's territories with our tax money? Is it your case that our President- (whether you like it or not he is your president too) should not question Denmark on how they are protecting North American continent from Russian incursions?

If protecting Greenland, a part of Denmark, is too hard for the Danes, then it is fair that the US takes it over and protects it as a part of the US.

[Vayutuvan]

<snip>

I am flabbergasted with all this Eurotrash hamdardi from BRF seniors with over 10K posts. Why this anti-US stand, I wonder.

Another snide comment from you, injecting your toxic and irrelevant opinions into someone else's discussion. And yet, you saw fit to launch a personal attack, labeling others as 'Eurotrash' and questioning their stance. Your trolling tactics are not only juvenile but also transparent. If you have something meaningful to contribute, spare us from this constant trolling and try engaging in a constructive dialogue...

For your information, here is a wikipedia page on Eurotrash

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurotrash_(term)

"Eurotrash" is a term for certain Europeans, particularly those perceived to be socialites, stylish and affluent. Eurotrash is often used as a collective term for such European migrants in the United States or other areas with a concentration of wealthy Europeans. Some consider Eurotrash as a derogatory term, whereas others see it as a humorous, ironic description of themselves or others. There have been discussions in various forums to clarify its intent, with a majority view that the original meaning was not intended to imply impoverished or trashy Europeans, or be the European equivalent of "white trash".[1][2]

Among the early printed uses of the term was in the early 1980s, when Taki Theodoracopulos, a wealthy Greek living in New York City, wrote a newspaper column titled "Eurotrash" in The East Side Express.[3] The term was also used into the 1990s, with American band Cracker releasing a single called "Euro-Trash Girl". The song's narrator describes a dissolute life, drifting across Europe in pursuit of an "angel in black," the titular Euro-trash girl.

I would rather that we show more empathy towards "White Trash", poor Latino and Latina Americans, and African Americans than have hamdardi for "Boston Brahmins" and elitist Humanities Professors and their students of the elite universities of Harvard, Yale, UPenn.

[Vayutuvan]

BRF is for Indian interests and for a wide variety of Indian perspectives. Who are foreign posters to question the preferences and perspectives that we have ?

What an irrelevant outburst! Also it is a conversation between two naturalized American citizens who are PIOs.

[KL Dubey]

On another topic:

The news and social media is full of events about the tightening and extra security at the border with legit green card and citizens being subjected to detention. One part of me thinks that brown people always had this experience, a ruckus is now being raised as it is now affecting the whites. The CBP were always obnoxious and overstepping authority but they claimed they had the right to do so within 100 miles of the border that conveniently includes most population centres.

My question to US based posters: have your travel plans changed on that basis and if you have travelled recently have you found a difference?

No change in plans so far, but monitoring the situation. Spouse went to India for a few weeks, returned smoothly last week with the usual "welcome back" greeting. We plan to visit Kanadda for a family wedding later this year, and India trips this summer. We are long-time LPRs with US children.

Every day there are literally thousands of LPRs returning at US ports of entry. So far I have not seen any news of significant numbers of people that have been inconvenienced.

[Vayutuvan]

Another snide comment from you...

If you feel affronted, I will edit it to make it more palatable to you. As for the "over 10K posts", it is a factual statement, isn't it? You are also proud of it.

[williams]

On another topic:

The news and social media is full of events about the tightening and extra security at the border with legit green card and citizens being subjected to detention. One part of me thinks that brown people always had this experience, a ruckus is now being raised as it is now affecting the whites. The CBP were always obnoxious and overstepping authority but they claimed they had the right to do so within 100 miles of the border that conveniently includes most population centres.

My question to US based posters: have your travel plans changed on that basis and if you have travelled recently have you found a difference?

No change in plans so far, but monitoring the situation. Spouse went to India for a few weeks, returned smoothly last week with the usual "welcome back" greeting. We plan to visit Kanadda for a family wedding later this year, and India trips this summer. We are long-time LPRs with US children.

Every day there are literally thousands of LPRs returning at US ports of entry. So far I have not seen any news of significant numbers of people that have been inconvenienced.

Mostly a problem for foreign activists with a police record. Post 911 all police records are centralized and FBI search is quite easy nowadays. Trump admin are also targeting liberal universities where such activism is prevalent and those are the ones who end up in places like NYT. Liberal media orgs on the other hand is also floating the idea that all GC holders are in trouble to create a sense of panic. Issue is State Dept and DHS can mess with a GC holders status any time they want It is always a conditional permanent residence. So admin of the day can do anything within the legal limit.

[Vayutuvan]

Since lot of people are arguing for meritocracy, here is a critic of Meritocracy from here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocra ... cracy_Trap

In his 2019 book The Meritocracy Trap, Daniel Markovits poses that meritocracy is responsible for the exacerbation of social stratification, to the detriment of much of the general population. He introduces the idea of "snowball inequality", a perpetually widening gap between elite workers and members of the middle class. While the elite obtain exclusive positions thanks to their wealth of demonstrated merit, they occupy jobs and oust middle class workers from the core of economic events. The elites use their high earnings to secure the best education for their own children, so that they may enter the world of work with a competitive advantage over those who did not have the same opportunities. Thus, the cycle continues with each generation.

In this case, the middle class suffers decreased opportunities for individual prosperity and financial success. While it is impossible to quantify the exact effects of this social divide on the middle class, the opioid epidemic, dramatic rises in "deaths of despair"[87] (suicides, mental health and alcoholism), and lowering life expectancy in these meritocratic societies are often listed as results of it. It is not only the middle class who suffer the negative effects of meritocracy, however. The societal elite have to pay a significant price for their hectic working life. Many admit suffering from physical and mental health issues, inability to sustain a good quality personal life and a lack of time spent with their families. Children of the social elite are often forced into a highly competitive educational environment from a young age, which continues throughout school, university, and into their work life. Through this argument, the author attacks the idea of a meritocracy as a fair means to evaluate and reward the most skilled and hard-working members of society.

Markovits proposes a different approach to meritocracy, one where socioeconomic life conveniences are freely distributed to the people who are sufficiently successful at the things they are doing rather than creating an environment of ongoing competition. He calls for reform of economic roles, organizations and institutions in order to include a wider population and hence narrow the increasing inequality gap by questioning the social hegemony of high-profile workers, and intervening with redistribution of earnings, working hours and social identity on behalf of middle class workers.[88][89]

This is where the US is at right now. Those PIOs who have not self-isolated themselves in Indian ghettos of Dallas, Bay area, and NJ would see the harmful effects of absolutist meritocracy. It is very important for Indian policy makers to understand this and not fall into this trap.

Modi ji would not fall into this trap for sure. I am not so sure about others in the cabinet

[Vayutuvan]

Issue is State Dept and DHS can mess with a GC holders status any time they want It is always a conditional permanent residence. So admin of the day can do anything within the legal limit.

williams ji, that is what is being contested right now in the courts. Speaking for myself, I am somewhat sympathetic to Mahmoud Khalil. The problem is with the administration who let the radical left professors dictate their policy of letting the students turn peaceful protests into violent anti-semitic protests. Trump admin wants to make Mahmoud Khalil an example. University will throw him under the bus in their self-interest.

[KL Dubey]

Mostly a problem for foreign activists with a police record. Post 911 all police records are centralized and FBI search is quite easy nowadays. Trump admin are also targeting liberal universities where such activism is prevalent and those are the ones who end up in places like NYT. Liberal media orgs on the other hand is also floating the idea that all GC holders are in trouble to create a sense of panic. Issue is State Dept and DHS can mess with a GC holders status any time they want It is always a conditional permanent residence. So admin of the day can do anything within the legal limit.

Agree with most of your post.

The legal conditions for maintaining LPR cannot be changed unilaterally by the executive, it requires an act of congress...but the executive can perform enforcement by deeming certain instances of generally admissible activities as offenses (e.g., pro-palestine protests versus just any peaceful protest).

BTW "conditional permanent residence" means something else in USCIS parlance...in some situations new LPRs are given "conditional" status for anywhere from a few months to a couple of years. This is then removed once they have satisfied certain remaining conditions while living in USA.

[KL Dubey]

Another snide comment from you, injecting your toxic and irrelevant opinions into someone else's discussion. And yet, you saw fit to launch a personal attack, labeling others as 'Eurotrash' and questioning their stance. Your trolling tactics are not only juvenile but also transparent. If you have something meaningful to contribute, spare us from this constant trolling and try engaging in a constructive dialogue...

Make no mistake - this is a pattern of disinformation and attempts to undermine Indian narratives, from motivated posters.

Disagreements are part and parcel of such forums, and a normal aspect of the discourse. I only alerted admins when I realized this has crystallized into a pattern beyond incidental/respectful disagreements:

- attempting to derail legitimate indian-perspective views/discussion on key issues
- continuing to broadcast the same discredited claims even when presented with facts
- taking over the discussion space by spamming with foreign partisan content
- the labeling of posters according to partisan affiliations that exist in other countries
- creating strawmen/fishing expeditions and making legitimate posters have to "defend" themselves

I hope the admins and owners of BRF are keeping a watch on the above issue.

[Vayutuvan]

Another snide comment from you, injecting your toxic and irrelevant opinions into someone else's discussion. And yet, you saw fit to launch a personal attack, labeling others as 'Eurotrash' and questioning their stance. Your trolling tactics are not only juvenile but also transparent. If you have something meaningful to contribute, spare us from this constant trolling and try engaging in a constructive dialogue...

Make no mistake - this is a pattern of disinformation and attempts to undermine Indian narratives, from motivated posters.

Disagreements are part and parcel of such forums, and a normal aspect of the discourse. I only alerted admins when I realized this has crystallized into a pattern beyond incidental/respectful disagreements:
...
I hope the admins and owners of BRF are keeping a watch on the above issue.

This post doesn't deserve a response but the poster @KL Dubey deserves a block. I did not block anybody on BRF till todate. You get to be the first. Congratulations.

[ramana]

Listen I don't want to lock this thread for three posters.
So please stop.

If you don't acknowledge this message will ban you:
AmberG
Vayutuban
KL Dubey

[Kati]

A longtime target of the right is finally buckling under Trump pressure
The right has long resented universities. Trump figured out how to hurt them.
https://www.vox.com/politics/405645/tru ... n-research

The last three paragraphs are gems - sort of 'Mea Culpa' (below)

So university trustees and administrators, according to this reporting, believed the Gaza war protests had gone too far and needed to be reined in. At least in part, they were using Trump’s demands as an excuse to make changes they wanted to make anyway.

This is part of a broader dynamic, in which many elites formerly sympathetic to left causes — or at least unwilling to fight them — have turned against the left. Many progressives, meanwhile, seem exhausted and disillusioned, and are no longer fighting back with much fervor. It isn’t the first Trump administration anymore, when social justice activists felt the arc of history was bending in their direction.

The implications here are ominous. Trump’s research funding extortion worked so well that he (and future Republican presidents) will surely be encouraged to use similar tactics again and again. Could a precondition for future federal funds be obeisance to the conservative agenda? How in the world can a situation where universities are so dependent on federal cash coexist with long-term academic freedom?

[Kati]

The New Video of Federal Agents Ambushing a Student and Disappearing With Her Should Chill You to Your Core

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/202 ... zturk.html

[bala]

DJT participates in Women's History Month Event. (the dumbocrats are still confused about gender - women, man, etc). DJT has many women (Pam Bondi, Tulsi Gabbard, Linda McMahon, Kristi Noem, Brooke Leslie Rollins, Kelly Loeffler, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, .. ) at high positions in his govt. In the recent US polls in Nov, 24, a good number of US women voted for DJT as president. DJT of course has banned confused men pretending to be women and competing in sports meant for women. DJT announced a new women museum to be opened in Washington, DC.

youtube.com/watch?v=37yfOP8cVPQ

DJT claims that energy costs, gasoline < $3/gallon, have gone down, so have the price of eggs in the US, groceries and many things. DJT claims many foreign car companies are going to open plants in the US - Honda in Indiana, Hyundai and many more. Come April 2, 25, car parts imported will attract 25% tariffs. DJT is promising a large tax cut that US Congress is working upon.

[Najunamar]

The New Video of Federal Agents Ambushing a Student and Disappearing With Her Should Chill You to Your Core

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/202 ... zturk.html

I see the author takes the mantel of being a “Muslim American voice” and hence more suspicious of these shrill noises of democracy in crisis. Besides, the actions have been quite deliberate and looks like even the MO change (masking) could be due to some intel on what’s being planned by these urban naxals.

[drnayar]

The New Video of Federal Agents Ambushing a Student and Disappearing With Her Should Chill You to Your Core

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/202 ... zturk.html

I see the author takes the mantel of being a “Muslim American voice” and hence more suspicious of these shrill noises of democracy in crisis. Besides, the actions have been quite deliberate and looks like even the MO change (masking) could be due to some intel on what’s being planned by these urban naxals.

could be a "person of interest" to some 3 letter agencies.. meaning ties to terror groups