I worked at a private University (as a conservative leaning independent) for 7 years. I found the University to be a hostile work environment for conservatives. In my case as well as others, that I met while there, it was enough to dissuade us from pursuing an advanced degree.
I worked with many wonderful academics, they are people that I still count among the smartest and kindest people that I have ever met. At the same time, they could be absolutely vicious towards conservative or religious ideals or individuals. There was regular conflict over the Catholic University's traditional masses and other gatherings. They would wrap themselves in a cloak of "Academic Freedom" as they denounced anything that they viewed as religious infringing on their positions.
It wasn't just religious issues that brought out the worst of them. I still remember how on the first anniversary of 9/11 a number of professors refused to participate in the memorial ceremony because the University's ROTC would be the color guard. They deemed their presence to be sending the wrong message and a validation of the war in Afghanistan.
All in all, it left a bad taste in my mouth and as time grew on it was no longer a place that I wished to be. If it wasn't for an online option at a different school, then I never would have pursued my masters degree.
Re the 9/11 thing, if you are someone who dislikes the killing of innocent people it seems reasonable to be horrified by the original 9/11 killings of three thousand odd people and also horrified by Bush/Cheney using that as a justification to do stuff leading to the deaths of many times as many innocent people. It seems quite reasonable to avoid condoning that.
I won't disagree that that feeling is reasonable or justified. I've worked at a number of places where someone who felt that way would have been supported if they chose not to participate.
That being said, Academia is the only place where I have worked that it was considered okay to demand that others not be allowed to participate. Especially, demanding that students who may or may not feel the same way be barred from attending.
I worked with many wonderful academics, they are people that I still count among the smartest and kindest people that I have ever met. At the same time, they could be absolutely vicious towards conservative or religious ideals or individuals. There was regular conflict over the Catholic University's traditional masses and other gatherings. They would wrap themselves in a cloak of "Academic Freedom" as they denounced anything that they viewed as religious infringing on their positions.
It wasn't just religious issues that brought out the worst of them. I still remember how on the first anniversary of 9/11 a number of professors refused to participate in the memorial ceremony because the University's ROTC would be the color guard. They deemed their presence to be sending the wrong message and a validation of the war in Afghanistan.
All in all, it left a bad taste in my mouth and as time grew on it was no longer a place that I wished to be. If it wasn't for an online option at a different school, then I never would have pursued my masters degree.