To the editor: In his element of opinion on the shock of President Trump-Harvard University, the contributory columnist Josh Hammer says that US higher education has been lacking on the quid-quo-quo agreement to produce “divine patriots” in exchange for public support (“” “Trump's confrontation with Harvard puts above Ed in notice,»April 20).
Given that he has a undergraduate diploma in economics from Duke University and a law degree from the University of Chicago, I am sure he can head to the work “Intro to Godly Patriots 101” that he has completed in one or the other of the schools. But, given the soggy weight of his theocratic law, he should come back for well-being and, hopefully, learn the basics of critical thinking, in particular the difference between education and indoctrination.
Rev. Gary M. Keene, Ventura
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To the editor: The real kick in the intestine was “the problem of higher education which did not produce the pious patriots but the ungrateful decadent”. I supported the higher education of my children to enable them to excel in their field of studies, not to become a “divine patriot”. I would like to let Hammer know that my successful and well -balanced children are not decadent ungrateful.
Kathy Monaco, Huntington Beach
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To the editor: Without providing any evidence, Hammer condemns “the excess tax and cultural from the US higher elite education”. Hammer is bored that these institutions benefit from a lower tax rate on their allocations and should be taxed at rates comparable to private companies or investment funds which may or may not provide a tangible public advantage. In the case of most high networks and individual companies, they are taxed at a rate significantly lower than the average stiff working class.
As for university allocations, their objective is to provide a wide range of public advantages to students, teachers, infrastructure and, through technical, medical, social and other, to society in general.
But Hammer opposes cultural excesses, which is a conservative leave for a liberal education. Instead, Hammer promotes a study program that instills “the love of their traditions of faith, their nation and God”. May seem good for a religious institution, but not for a university which is devoted to freedom of expression and the solid exhibition to a wide range of points of view in the ideologically unrealized pursuit of knowledge.
Andrew Spathis, Los Angeles
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To the editor: Another Sunday, another screed of legalist fantasy Mumbo-Jumbo de Hammer, nothing of that based on the law or in reality. That the Times would publish this kind of thing insults to all those who can read above a third year level.
Scott Hughes, village of Westlake
