1/ I'm sorry that a climate of intolerance and fear is descending upon the academic world. I'm sad that many students and faculty are being subjected to subtle or blatant intimidation. It makes me unhappy to know that so many are afraid to dissent from campus ideological dogmas.

2/ And yet ...
How blessed we are to be given the opportunity to stand up and speak out for the noblest of academic values when they're being attacked and derided. At a different time we might have honored academic freedom and integrity in our work and even done our bit to uphold

3/ these values on campus and in the broader intellectual culture; but because today they are under such severe attack it is necessary for us to *fight* for them, to take risks, make sacrifices, muster the required courage. It is an honor to do this. We need to recognize that.

4/ Of course, it's for the values themselves that we struggle and sacrifice, not the honor that attends the struggle; but it's always good to do what's honorable, to understand that it's an honor to do it, and to be grateful for that. "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers."