[937] in Discussion of MIT-community interests
Re: What is the cost of academic and political freedom?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Krzysztof Z Gajos)
Sun Oct 7 23:18:02 2001
Message-ID: <200110080316.XAA23128@home-on-the-dome.mit.edu>
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 23:16:32 -0400
Reply-To: "Documentation at http://web.mit.edu/beland/talk/talk.html"
<MIT-Talk@MIT.EDU>, Krzysztof Z Gajos <kgajos@MIT.EDU>
From: Krzysztof Z Gajos <kgajos@MIT.EDU>
To: MIT-Talk@MIT.EDU
Implicit in this discussion is the assumption that criticizing
Shell at its recruitment event was harmfull for MIT. Let me suggest
that this is unlikely because:
1. Shell gets so much shit all over the world that they probably no
longer care. If they did they would have done something more than show
informecials on British Airways flights. Also remember what kind of
reception Microsoft gets at MIT campus. And they do not mind giving us
money. They desperatelly (well maybe not so desperatelly) want us to
love them. You know, these companies do benefit from giving us
money. They will not stop doing that just for any reason.
2. There is nothing wrong with MIT having a reputation for having an
outspoken community. People will respect us and our endorsment will
actually mean something. Otherwise we are in big trouble. First MIT
admins tried to make prof. Postol shut up and backed up only when he
got too much media attention. Now MIT is trying to silence somebody
for critizing Shell. Look, Shell does so much shit in Nigeria that
it's not even funny. If we don't give them a little bit of hard time
about it, who will?
Have fun,
Krzysztof
