Over the last several decades, the United States has been engulfed in an extreme cultural war between conservatives and progressives. Indeed, activists on both sides of the political spectrum and officials in public office bearing allegiance to the Democratic and Republican parties in mainstream American politics have clashed over numerous cultural and social issues for much of the 21st century. One aspect of this culture war that has been a key focus of activists for many years has been the revision of American history and the demonization and erasure from public culture of many prominent and meaningful figures in National history. Initially, Confederate generals from the American civil war were primary targets for activists, but once many statues of these individuals were removed and the public perception of these men depreciated, figures like Teddy Roosevelt and George Washington have been assaulted and painted as oppressive individuals who do not deserve the respect of a free people.
Indeed, the primary battlefield for this cultural war has long been the educational system and the American classroom in both public and private institutions. For many years, progressive and leftist activists have infiltrated academia, reached positions of high influence, and slowly but surely diminished they culture of learning and critical thinking and education and sought to promote toxic collective ideologies among the youth of the nation. In a recent lawsuit, a judge suspended “diversity, equity, and inclusion” teaching requirements at a community college in California. It was a small win for free speech and the diversity of thought in academia.
In another related incident, Harvard University, an institution that has become notoriously progressive and politically charged in recent months, announced that it will be removing binding from a book made of human skin. The book was a meditation on life and death written by the French novelist Arsene Houssaye. Allegedly, the previous owner had attached deceased human skin to the book without prior consent.
