What are these Blue Dots in Red States

What are these Little Blue Dots in Big Red States

Last Updated: September 21, 2024By Tags: ,

Is Foreign Money Influencing Our Universities?

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Not long ago I was looking through some maps of state representatives for the State of Arkansas, when something caught my eye.  It was the little blue dot in Northwest Arkansas.

My first thought was, “Oh yeah, that’s the U of A in Fayetteville.”  But after looking closer I asked, “How can this entire side of the state be red, except for that tiny blue dot sitting atop the University of Arkansas?”

I then looked to central Arkansas.  “Yep, blue dots atop UALR and UAPB.”  Thinking for certain this had to be a coincidence, I took a quick peek as to where the major universities are located in Missouri.  And what do you know, blue dots atop the major universities.

Please understand, I’m not making this observation through a political lens.  My concern isn’t that these areas are Blue, rather, it’s why they are Blue.

Now, I’m sure two of the more common thoughts or objections at this point might be:

  • “Well, these are highly populated areas.”
  • “We all know that universities tend to lean more Liberal nowadays.”

I hear both of these quite often.  And to either statement my response is the same: “So what?”  Why is it the largest populated areas in the country are mostly Blue?  

Arkansas State Map of Representatives
Missouri State Map of Representatives

Why is it that most cities containing a major university are Blue?

If you’re still not convinced, take a look below at Texas and Florida.

Once again, I get it.  I completely understand this is the norm, and is seemingly just… “the way it’s always been.”  But the question remains, “Why?”

Well, allow me to share some quick details about our American universities that may come as a total shock.  

Texas State Map of Representatives
Florida State Map of Representatives

Campus Rage – Fueled by Foreign Money?

About a month after the October 7th, 2023 attack on Israel, Bari Weiss published this article in The Free Press. The article raises the question as to whether or not campus rage is fueled by Middle Eastern money.  And what he reports is staggering.

Weiss explains how a, then, new report from the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI), reveals that at least 200 American colleges and universities had illegally withheld information on approximately $13 billion in undisclosed contributions from foreign regimes.

Authors from that NCRI report write:

“a massive influx of foreign, concealed donations to American institutions of higher learning, much of it from authoritarian regimes with notable support from Middle Eastern sources, reflects or supports heightened levels of intolerance towards Jews, open inquiry and free expression.”

The report states, “In 2019, the U.S. Department of Education uncovered billions of dollars in undocumented foreign funds contributed to American universities, with a good deal of it coming from authoritarian regimes hostile to the fundamental principles of democracy and human rights.”

A few of their key findings include:

  • A sample of Top American colleges and universities (n=203) where they analyze approximately $13 billion in reported contributions from foreign governments, many of which are authoritarian.

  • From 2015-2020, institutions that accepted funding from Middle Eastern donors had, on average, 300% more antisemitic incidents than those institutions that did not.

  • Speech intolerance—manifesting as campaigns to investigate, censor, demote, suspend, or terminate speakers and scholars—was higher at institutions that received funding from foreign regimes.

  • Institutions receiving funding from foreign regimes evidence higher correlation between antisemitic incidents and inflammatory social media signals than those that do not.

Everyone is free to come to his/her own conclusion about this subject.  Just be sure to do the appropriate research.  However, this NCRI Report is quite telling.

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