(ThyBlackMan.com) The world is in greater peril from those who tolerate or abet evil than from those who do evil themselves.
Albert Einstein
They say that when it comes to bullies, handing over your lunch money hoping they won’t ask you again is never a good idea; you’re just going to get mugged again and again. Reading the article “If Harvard, Armor-Plated by History and Padded with Funds, Can’t Beat Trump, No One Can” struck a chord within me. Here we have an American institution — Harvard! — an emblem of academic excellence and historical standing, standing up against the strong-arm coercion of Donald Trump. And it teaches us an important lesson about how to deal with bullies: stand up to, not roll over for, them.
Speaking as someone extremely blessed to have completed several Harvard classes via the edX platform, this hits home for me. I am the proud holder of certificates from courses hosted by HarvardX, Harvard University’s online course initiative. To me, Harvard isn’t just a name — it’s a part of my journey as a lifelong learner. I wrote a children’s book in 2021 titled: Bringing Grandma Home! This was at the height of the Covid 19 epidemic. A trusted friend suggested that I take a class being offered by Harvard Medical School for Medical Professionals. This was an attempt on my part to provide background information and credibility based upon the subject matter: Covid 19. Reluctantly, I took the class and was awarded a Certificate of Completion that adorns my wall today. Bringing Grandma Home! was an Amazon.com bestseller and received a 5-star review from Readers Choice. Way to go Harvard! That connection makes me doubly proud and inspired to see this storied institution standing tall.
The article which inspired this piece shows how the president’s recent antagonism toward Harvard is only his most recent iteration of a broader Trumpian pattern: He looks for some influentially symbolic examples of the “elite” and then tries to take it apart for political advantage. It is a strategy that revolves around intimidation, disinformation and public spectacle. To Trump, institutions like Harvard are not just educational entities; they are ideological foes — organizations that question his grievances and narratives of victimhood.
Yet, Harvard isn’t flinching. If anything, they are using their strong brand, litigation experience, and financial resources to defend instead of conceding or capitulating. This is critical. Because if Harvard (with its centuries of history, 56 billion in endowment, cache of influential graduates) can’t withstand these bullying efforts… Then who can?
As a proponent of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI); one aspect that I especially admire is that Harvard is not apologizing for its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Political pressure has caused many institutions to wither, retrench programs or offer empty apologies. But Harvard, true to its educational mission, knows that constructing a diverse academic community isn’t political — it’s principled.
It’s easy to have a go when you are sitting behind the lectern. It’s much more difficult to stand firm when powerful forces are trying to portray you as a member of some imaginary cultural axis of evil. Harvard’s position calls to mind something I’ve come across time and again in reading and thinking over the years: integrity frequently requires taking a stand. A spirited stand for truth, knowledge and a level playing field for all to think and extend effort has more grit than capitulating to fear-mongering and ideological violence.
More broadly, Harvard’s pushback is part of something happening all over America. Once it made sense to prefer an air of neutrality above the fray, institutions are increasingly acknowledging, neutrality in many aspects is no longer an option. In such a time, silence is complicity when our most cherished values of free inquiry, inclusivity and academic freedom are under assault.
In its behavior, Harvard is teaching others how to live with this new reality. It’s not political games; it is a core principle. At the core, education is about changing. It surprises us with new information, combines elements in ways we never thought of, and can build bridges between cultures and life experiences. These are the very values that Trump, in one way or another, is attempting to overturn: that knowledge and understanding should be available to everyone and not simply to a group that happens to agree with his worldview.
Looking back on my experience with HarvardX courses, I’ve come to realize I was drawn to them not simply because they were from Harvard but because they were, in spirit if not in fact, Harvard courses. It challenged me to be thought-provocative, to be discerning of assumptions, and to be open to new ideas. Those online courses weren’t afraid to pull punches; they called for serious work, the kind of reflection on what you wanted to learn and who you wanted to be that happens in a real class. They were as close to the real thing of what education should be as anything I’ve experienced.
I take heart from Harvard’s defense of that ethos. It gives me a sense that institutions (and also people) should be judged not just on what they do, but on their willingness to speak in defense of principle at moments of maximum hazard. The stakes are greater than even Harvard. When the most powerful institutions in the nation allow themselves to be bullied, it sends a chilling message to every elementary school, high school and college across the country. It says: “You are next.” It threatens to incite further attacks, not only on the elite institutions, but on public education, on independent research, on free speech at every level. It actually begs a question of all those willing to compromise…Who’s next?
The position of Harvard is a call to arms: We cannot allow this to happen. If we are graduates, if we are online learners, if we were admitted to practice law, if we are parents, if we believe in the power of education to change the world, we are all in this together. Bullies thrive in silence. For them, when fear defines action, they grow stronger. But when they are confronted with firm, principled resistance, they falter. The fact that Harvard refused to be bullied reminds me that no matter how powerful the bully, strength comes from standing your ground.
To me, this moment isn’t simply about Harvard against Trump. It’s about the sort of country we want to live in. Do we desire a society in which knowledge is free, open and alive—or one in which it’s censored, restricted and controlled based on political whims? We all have a choice. Institutions have a choice. And as individuals, we have to rally around those who opt for courage over capitulation.?
For my part, I’ll add this modest goal of my own: to keep learning, asking questions and kicking up dust — and doing whatever I can to inspire others who hear the hounds baying to do the same. And through platforms like edX, through conversations like we’re having today and through every effort to celebrate and defend education as a public good. Kudos to Harvard University. I am in total agreement with political analyst Roland Martin who says, “If Donald Trump comes for an elite educational institution like Harvard today, he is coming for the HBCU’s tomorrow.” Thanks, Roland, for reminding us that doing the right thing is usually not the easy thing but is always the thing that matters.
Who’s next to stand up?
Let’s hope it’s all of us.
Associate Editor; Stanley G. Buford
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Also his email addy is; StanleyG@ThyBlackMan.com.
