I looked to see if the April 22, 2025 letter from the American Association of Colleges and Universities/American Academy of Arts and Sciences got attention which is-- as you point out--a motivation.
And yes, here you go from the University Wire (https://www.uwire.com/) press releases that include the letter: or parts of it.
*Brown extolls its president for signing.
Paxson signs open letter condemning federal actions targeting higher education - The Brown Daily Herald Is Part Of University Wire, 2025.
*- (Bowdoin College): Zaki Signs Open Letter to Protect Higher Education from Government Overreach. Carlsbad: Uloop, Inc, 2025.
That is a good question, and I never thought about it until this timeline. To some degree I think they are done to reassure constituencies like university faculty. Also, they give cover to being in a group rather than standing up bravely alone on a topic. And then they can be cut and pasted all over for public relations. I liked this timeline highlighted the "1,500 historians call for removing President Trump from office" as it caused me to think that if historians insist on advocating for the way history should unfold then how can we be sure they are historians without a side in the issue? My day job is a historian of libraries--and that group has not made political statements (so far). But as a member of the American Library Association a lot of public statements we might make are debated. The debates take a lot of time, and everyone feels like they are doing something, but I can think of things to do with that time that might move us forward more effectively.
Fuck these scientists. They have created poison for Big Pharma that kills us all. We need to get back to family doctors who can prescribe whatever is needed to make people well instead of sending everyone to a specialist for an antacid. There hasn’t been a scientific breakthrough since penicillin and everything after has made everyone take lifelong medications. Treating but never curing. Making customers out of us all. Big Pharma needs to have advertising ripped off television. Vaccines need serious new study and staggered for newborns. Zero reason for a baby to get a Hepatitis shot. Everything needs to be opened and inspected. Open letters are always partisan and it’s just people angry about them not enjoying the comforts they always were used to.
The latest party line I've seen is something like, "Remember when you didn't have to worry about what the president was doing?" To the extent there was any literal truth to that, it was because:
-The man himself wasn't capable of actually doing much
-The press averted their eyes from anything negative so it was easy to be lulled into complacency
To me, most of the open letters I see are reminiscent of the Buffalo Spring song "For What It's Worth" that includes the famous (to me at least) lines:
Singing songs and they carrying signs
Mostly say, "Hooray for our side"
I would pay more attention to them if the Hunter Biden Laptop letter had not received such enthusiastic press support, or perhaps even if the "Over 2,000 scientists urge..." had been published while Biden was still the President and Dr. Fauci was still in charge of our Covid response.
The pattern seems to be various managerial class cliques put these letters out. They all share the belief in the power of words, and words can be powerful. They can also be self-righteous, mendacious and over wrought.
Not wanting to be a smarty pants, but here goes. What is the summary of your article? None of this is new or news. The left has crafted the majority of these open letters. What are we to make of this obvious attempt by the left to add some weight to their argument? We all know by now what the left is attempting .
They were clever enough to add a caveat that they couldn't say it was Russian for sure, and also clever enough to know the press would completely, even eagerly, ignore that caveat.
Wasn't there also an open letter, in May of 2020, when a bunch of health 'experts' declared that it was akkshuallly ok for people to congregate in huge groups to protest what happened to George Floyd, because Covid akkshuallly wasn't transmittable during protests like this?
(But you still can't go to church, funerals, or to the hospital to comfort your sick love ones).
Yeah, I'll bet they knocked themselves out. The Dems know very well that the absence of evidence is not the same as the evidence of absence, but they count on the public to not know the difference.
It would be helpful if these reports on open letters provided some context. For example, there are about 6K colleges in the U.S., so signatories on the 4/22 letter represent less than 10% of potential signatories. Elsewhere, is 500 women scientists a lot? It doesn't seem so.
My own undergrad president signed both the 4/22 letter and joined the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness consortium, which conceptually are at odds. But there's nothing like safety in herds.
I'm generally not a fan of these letters. Sometimes, I just use them to figure out who seems reasonable (Great Barrington) and who is just an irredeemable lunatic.
TWO IDENTICAL PARAGRAPHS!! DID YOUR DOG EDIT THIS? Shame!
Here’s a list of open letters — though certainly not complete — directed at Trump in his first and second terms.
November 29, 2016
Following Trump’s election as the 45th president, the Union of Concerned Scientists release an open letter to Trump and Congress. The letter, signed by 2,000-plus scientists — including 22 Nobel Prize winners — informs the president-elect and Congress that:
First, creating a strong and open culture of science begins at the top. Federal agencies should be led by officials with demonstrated track records of respecting science as a critical component of decision making. Further, recognizing that diversity makes science stronger, administration officials should welcome and encourage all scientists regardless of religious background, race, gender, or sexual orientation.
The Washington Post’s lead on the letter says: “Call it the opening shot in a brewing war over scientific integrity in the future Trump administration.”
November 29, 2016
Following Trump’s election as the 45th president, the Union of Concerned Scientists release an open letter to Trump and Congress. The letter, signed by 2,000-plus scientists — including 22 Nobel Prize winners — informs the president-elect and Congress that:
First, creating a strong and open culture of science begins at the top. Federal agencies should be led by officials with demonstrated track records of respecting science as a critical component of decision making. Further, recognizing that diversity makes science stronger, administration officials should welcome and encourage all scientists regardless of religious background, race, gender, or sexual orientation.
The Washington Post’s lead on the letter says: “Call it the opening shot in a brewing war over scientific integrity in the future Trump administration.”
I do a Substack on library history and did this a few times--(repeated parts of posts) but it was often because SS was acting wonky which it was yesterday. Posts were doubled up. Good news--The post can be edited so the archival is correct. Never hurts to have this noted. But I still think you would be mean English teacher.
It’s sloppy editing, it’s true, but I’d rather read sloppily edited truths instead of carefully crafted lies. So I suspect most commenters aren’t that bothered by it.
Mean teachers allow poor work. As a teacher putting up high goals so students reach up to achieve. We have lowered our levels to achieve so much that children and adults are closer to illiterate in all studies. "Mean" teachers push students beyond their known capabilities to achieve beyond their dreams.
Proofreader is a good idea—sometimes I can write something that I think makes sense, but it takes another set of eyes to see the obvious defects. Tricks of the mind…
I looked to see if the April 22, 2025 letter from the American Association of Colleges and Universities/American Academy of Arts and Sciences got attention which is-- as you point out--a motivation.
And yes, here you go from the University Wire (https://www.uwire.com/) press releases that include the letter: or parts of it.
*Brown extolls its president for signing.
Paxson signs open letter condemning federal actions targeting higher education - The Brown Daily Herald Is Part Of University Wire, 2025.
*- (Bowdoin College): Zaki Signs Open Letter to Protect Higher Education from Government Overreach. Carlsbad: Uloop, Inc, 2025.
I'm going to write an open letter under the headline: "Please ... no more open letters."
Who reads ‘em, anyway?
That is a good question, and I never thought about it until this timeline. To some degree I think they are done to reassure constituencies like university faculty. Also, they give cover to being in a group rather than standing up bravely alone on a topic. And then they can be cut and pasted all over for public relations. I liked this timeline highlighted the "1,500 historians call for removing President Trump from office" as it caused me to think that if historians insist on advocating for the way history should unfold then how can we be sure they are historians without a side in the issue? My day job is a historian of libraries--and that group has not made political statements (so far). But as a member of the American Library Association a lot of public statements we might make are debated. The debates take a lot of time, and everyone feels like they are doing something, but I can think of things to do with that time that might move us forward more effectively.
Lol
Fuck these scientists. They have created poison for Big Pharma that kills us all. We need to get back to family doctors who can prescribe whatever is needed to make people well instead of sending everyone to a specialist for an antacid. There hasn’t been a scientific breakthrough since penicillin and everything after has made everyone take lifelong medications. Treating but never curing. Making customers out of us all. Big Pharma needs to have advertising ripped off television. Vaccines need serious new study and staggered for newborns. Zero reason for a baby to get a Hepatitis shot. Everything needs to be opened and inspected. Open letters are always partisan and it’s just people angry about them not enjoying the comforts they always were used to.
After the first sentence, the 3 word sentence, there is significant merit in the points you made in this post.
No letters criticizing Biden. Enough said.
"Because he was fine!" -Libs
The latest party line I've seen is something like, "Remember when you didn't have to worry about what the president was doing?" To the extent there was any literal truth to that, it was because:
-The man himself wasn't capable of actually doing much
-The press averted their eyes from anything negative so it was easy to be lulled into complacency
Losers write strongly worded letters.
Liars write open letters.
Hahaha!!
I really love the expanded coverage.
To me, most of the open letters I see are reminiscent of the Buffalo Spring song "For What It's Worth" that includes the famous (to me at least) lines:
Singing songs and they carrying signs
Mostly say, "Hooray for our side"
I would pay more attention to them if the Hunter Biden Laptop letter had not received such enthusiastic press support, or perhaps even if the "Over 2,000 scientists urge..." had been published while Biden was still the President and Dr. Fauci was still in charge of our Covid response.
The pattern seems to be various managerial class cliques put these letters out. They all share the belief in the power of words, and words can be powerful. They can also be self-righteous, mendacious and over wrought.
I see them as fancy fund-raising appeals.
That too, of course. The NGOs seem to serve the same purpose, fund raising to support large salaries.
Damn it! You’ve given me an ear worm
Not wanting to be a smarty pants, but here goes. What is the summary of your article? None of this is new or news. The left has crafted the majority of these open letters. What are we to make of this obvious attempt by the left to add some weight to their argument? We all know by now what the left is attempting .
I read MT's article today which refers to this Timeline and it gives more context. I knew about the academic ones but not that there were so many.
Speak for yourself. Many of us knew the 51-Stooge letter was a fraud the moment it was published.
They were clever enough to add a caveat that they couldn't say it was Russian for sure, and also clever enough to know the press would completely, even eagerly, ignore that caveat.
The old "I can neither confirm nor deny, but...."
Thanks for these great examples Matt.
Wasn't there also an open letter, in May of 2020, when a bunch of health 'experts' declared that it was akkshuallly ok for people to congregate in huge groups to protest what happened to George Floyd, because Covid akkshuallly wasn't transmittable during protests like this?
(But you still can't go to church, funerals, or to the hospital to comfort your sick love ones).
I also heard somebody (on CNN, I think) declare that "not a single case of COVID has been tracked to the demonstrations."
They weren't in churches, which made it a divine right.
I'm sure the public health authorities were trying diligently to do so, certainly not deliberately avoiding the discovery of any links.
Yeah, I'll bet they knocked themselves out. The Dems know very well that the absence of evidence is not the same as the evidence of absence, but they count on the public to not know the difference.
It would be helpful if these reports on open letters provided some context. For example, there are about 6K colleges in the U.S., so signatories on the 4/22 letter represent less than 10% of potential signatories. Elsewhere, is 500 women scientists a lot? It doesn't seem so.
My own undergrad president signed both the 4/22 letter and joined the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness consortium, which conceptually are at odds. But there's nothing like safety in herds.
I'm generally not a fan of these letters. Sometimes, I just use them to figure out who seems reasonable (Great Barrington) and who is just an irredeemable lunatic.
TWO IDENTICAL PARAGRAPHS!! DID YOUR DOG EDIT THIS? Shame!
Here’s a list of open letters — though certainly not complete — directed at Trump in his first and second terms.
November 29, 2016
Following Trump’s election as the 45th president, the Union of Concerned Scientists release an open letter to Trump and Congress. The letter, signed by 2,000-plus scientists — including 22 Nobel Prize winners — informs the president-elect and Congress that:
First, creating a strong and open culture of science begins at the top. Federal agencies should be led by officials with demonstrated track records of respecting science as a critical component of decision making. Further, recognizing that diversity makes science stronger, administration officials should welcome and encourage all scientists regardless of religious background, race, gender, or sexual orientation.
The Washington Post’s lead on the letter says: “Call it the opening shot in a brewing war over scientific integrity in the future Trump administration.”
November 29, 2016
Following Trump’s election as the 45th president, the Union of Concerned Scientists release an open letter to Trump and Congress. The letter, signed by 2,000-plus scientists — including 22 Nobel Prize winners — informs the president-elect and Congress that:
First, creating a strong and open culture of science begins at the top. Federal agencies should be led by officials with demonstrated track records of respecting science as a critical component of decision making. Further, recognizing that diversity makes science stronger, administration officials should welcome and encourage all scientists regardless of religious background, race, gender, or sexual orientation.
The Washington Post’s lead on the letter says: “Call it the opening shot in a brewing war over scientific integrity in the future Trump administration.”
And where is proof that diversity makes science better?
Ha! I thought I was reading a Babylon Bee headline. “ 500 scientists say they are so diverse they don’t have to do science —- whatever that is.”
Uh guys - my comment was intended to show Matt that he had the same paragraph in twice - a 'cut-and-pasto' error, if you will ;)
I do a Substack on library history and did this a few times--(repeated parts of posts) but it was often because SS was acting wonky which it was yesterday. Posts were doubled up. Good news--The post can be edited so the archival is correct. Never hurts to have this noted. But I still think you would be mean English teacher.
It’s sloppy editing, it’s true, but I’d rather read sloppily edited truths instead of carefully crafted lies. So I suspect most commenters aren’t that bothered by it.
Not Matt though--guest article by Greg Collard.
One of those statements you’re supposed to take as self-evident, along with the multitude of “rights” tacked onto Jefferson’s correct and short list.
0
You would be the meanest English teacher.
Yeah, I would insist on correct spelling and grammar - the horrors! ;)
Kathleen
Mean teachers allow poor work. As a teacher putting up high goals so students reach up to achieve. We have lowered our levels to achieve so much that children and adults are closer to illiterate in all studies. "Mean" teachers push students beyond their known capabilities to achieve beyond their dreams.
I loved my mean teachers.
Me too! It made me push myself beyond my self imposed limits. We need more mean teachers (and "mean" parents) go above and beyond!
"Quitters never Win, Winners never Quit"
-Vince Lombardi
Best comedy I've read in months.
The "open letter" serves the same purpose as a political poll
A message that the media can coalese on
The spearhead of a negative media hit
"2000 scientists plus 22 nobel prize winners are concerned that their grant gravy train will end"
would be a better title
Nobel prize? Please
Obama got one
Are you serious with that subtitle? "make raise"? "hear's a look"?
Yikes! Fixing now
Whew! Thanks.
Need a proofreader? Glad to help for early access.
My apologies. I’m quite embarrassed. Not happy at all.
Proofreader is a good idea—sometimes I can write something that I think makes sense, but it takes another set of eyes to see the obvious defects. Tricks of the mind…
Look at the list of recent nobel peace prize recipients; it discounts any authority they may have to judge others