In this conversation with Cow Guy Close, I share my reaction to the mass-shooting incident connected to Brown University and why it reinforces my belief that leaving academia when I did was the right decision.
Universities were once places dedicated to the pursuit of truth—where facts mattered more than feelings and investigations were guided by evidence, not ideology. Increasingly, that is no longer the case. What we see instead is an institutional instinct to protect certain narratives and defend certain groups, even when doing so delays or distorts the truth. Brown University’s response raises serious concerns. Rather than prioritizing a transparent and thorough investigation, the focus quickly shifted toward messaging and damage control before the public had clear answers about what actually happened. That is backwards. You cannot reach an honest conclusion if you refuse to conduct an honest investigation.
I also address the glaring inconsistency in media coverage. Had the suspect fit a different demographic profile—a white, straight male—the story would likely have dominated headlines within hours. But when the facts do not align with a preferred narrative, the silence is noticeable.
If someone commits violence and publicly invokes their god or ideology, that information matters. Not for sensationalism—but for public safety. Lives are at stake. If we are facing ideologically motivated violence or terrorism, the public deserves to know. Pretending otherwise does not protect communities; it endangers them.
Our institutions and the media claim to care deeply about justice, yet justice cannot exist without truth. The FBI and law enforcement must be allowed—and expected—to do their jobs without political pressure or ideological constraints.
When universities and media outlets prioritize defending narratives over seeking facts, they lose credibility. And when credibility is lost, trust in our institutions erodes.
Truth should never be negotiable.
