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News and Events => Education news => Topic started by: Shana A on December 14, 2010, 08:54:38 AM

Title: Books vandalized at Harvard library
Post by: Shana A on December 14, 2010, 08:54:38 AM
Books vandalized at Harvard library
Published: Dec. 13, 2010 at 4:33 PM

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/12/13/Books-vandalized-at-Harvard-library/UPI-95131292276003/ (http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/12/13/Books-vandalized-at-Harvard-library/UPI-95131292276003/)

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 13 (UPI) -- About 40 Harvard University library books dealing with gay, bisexual and transgender issues were soaked with urine, officials at the Cambridge school say.

A report filed Friday by library security staff to the Harvard University Police Department said a bottle assumed to have contained the urine was found near the vandalized books, the Harvard Crimson newspaper reported.

Due to the subject matter of the books, HUPD is investigating the incident as a hate crime, the Crimson said.
Title: Re: Books vandalized at Harvard library
Post by: tekla on December 14, 2010, 08:59:44 AM
Wow, the maturity of that will certainly win them lots of public support and acclaim.
Title: Re: Books vandalized at Harvard library
Post by: spacial on December 14, 2010, 11:42:40 AM
If this library is only open to students, then it says some particularly worring things about the Student body there.

Title: Re: Books vandalized at Harvard library
Post by: tekla on December 14, 2010, 11:49:40 AM
Obviously you've never met any Harvard people, this is the least of the things about them that you should worry about.

And Harvard has about 60 to 70 libraries.  Some are highly restricted while some are open to the public.
Title: Re: Books vandalized at Harvard library
Post by: spacial on December 14, 2010, 02:05:56 PM
Still, with some universities having professors that claim FGM is equivalent to a fashion statement, I don't suppose we should be surprised.

Wonder how much longer universities can keep up their pretense that they train for anything other than a purchased status with the value of hot air?
Title: Re: Books vandalized at Harvard library
Post by: tekla on December 14, 2010, 02:21:24 PM
Wonder how much longer universities can keep up their pretense that they train for anything other than a purchased status with the value of hot air?

As it claims itself to be "the oldest institution of higher education in the United States", founded in 1636, and one of the heaviest endowed schools, with a total endowment of $27.6 billion as of June 30, 2010. I'd have to guess Harvard is going to be around a while longer.
Title: Re: Books vandalized at Harvard library
Post by: spacial on December 14, 2010, 06:04:58 PM
I don't doubt. I was more thinking of the current direction, which seems to be increasingly aimed at establishing a social elite.

Recall that, prior to the current secular emphasis, universities were mostly religios affairs. Indeed, it wasn't so long ago that you needed to be ordained to study.
Title: Re: Books vandalized at Harvard library
Post by: pixiegirl on December 14, 2010, 06:56:32 PM
Apparently it was all a mistake. A member of staff knocked over a container of urine onto the books. Wondering why
a) nobody mentioned it
b) nobody still mentioned it when an investigation was begun
c) why the library staff had an open frikkin container of urine to carry around with them on the job
is not encouraged by Harvard.
Title: Re: Books vandalized at Harvard library
Post by: tekla on December 14, 2010, 07:56:25 PM
seems to be increasingly aimed at establishing a social elite

Oh yeah, Harvard was all about the common man.  As long as that common man came from pretty rich backgrounds.
Title: Re: Books vandalized at Harvard library
Post by: spacial on December 15, 2010, 12:15:00 PM
I wasn't talking about Harvard inparticuar.

Anyway, mystery solved. Some meber of staff was wandering around the library, carrying a bottle of urine, as you do, and spilt it on some books, which just happened to be about transgender issues.

Could happen to anyone.