1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am deeply concerned that Harvard and other higher education establishments are under attack by the federal administration for not “bending the knee” to Mr. Trump. Attacking Educational Institutions is a clear marker of authoritarianism. The fact that the IRS has already been co-opted to do the nefarious bidding for this administration (sharing private tax payer data to the Dept. of Homeland Security) is scary and overreaching. Using the IRS as the current administration’s henchman towards information stifling is dead wrong. We already knew this was a plan of attack by way of HR 9495, which has been dropped due to the deadline. Now this administration has decided to hop skip past this process and simply yanking tax exempt status. We feared this exact situation when congress was broadly defining “terrorism” as whatever the administration pleases. Then grew even more afraid when HR 9495 was being voted on by the House, as this bill would grant WAY TOO MUCH POWER to decimate law abiding institutions on a whim. Yet here we are. We need your leadership to protect Harvard, protect educational institutions, as they are the beacons of hope for our future, of harnessing critical thought desperately needed in times like these. And as spaces for freedom of thought and expression - our very first amendment in the bill of rights.