February 28, 2004

If you're copy-editing, you're correcting for HITLER!

Posted by Ted

What can you say about a story like this?

(“This way to the libertarian recruitment center” comes to mind, actually.)

Posted on February 28, 2004 11:51 PM UTC
Comments

The really outrageous part of the story is this:

“Tara Bradshaw, a Treasury Department spokeswoman, confirmed the restrictions on manuscripts from Iran in a statement. Banned activities include, she wrote, ‘collaboration on and editing of the manuscripts, the selection of reviewers , and facilitation of a review resulting in substantive enhancements or alterations to the manuscripts.’”

By this criterion, no peer-reviewed journal could publish an article by an Iranian scholar. Incredible.

In my own field (applied math/electrical engineering), there is a large number of prominent Iranian scientists that get published regularly in American journals.

Posted by Detached Observer · February 29, 2004 02:53 AM

Libertarians would never do something like this, because, above all, they recognize the individual above the state. The state has very little right to tell an individual what how or whether they can interact with humans.

This article describes a NeoCon policy. But unfortunately, people on the left seem to possess a conceptual difficulty identifying the difference.

Posted by Sir · February 29, 2004 03:34 AM

Sir: you have missed Ted’s point. He is saying that this type of thing is apt to turn one to libertarianism, not that evil libertarians are always promoting free speech restrictions to advance their world-hegemonic goals.

Posted by Belle Waring · February 29, 2004 03:43 AM

What Belle said. Ted was complimenting libertarians, saying that indeed they never would do such a thing, and hence, “this way to the libertarian recruitment center”, e.g., this policy is the best possible way you could imagine to drive people to libertarianism.

Posted by Timothy Burke · February 29, 2004 04:29 AM

This news has been doing the rounds of professional organizations for more than a year. I posted about it a couple of months ago.

According to my understanding, the embargo is not against Iranians but against Iran. The difference being that Iranians in the US or Europe etc. can still publish their work.

If we take this policy to its logical conclusion, shouldn’t there be a ban on accepting college applications from Iranian students as well?

Posted by Zack · February 29, 2004 04:58 AM

‘But unfortunately, people on the left seem to possess a conceptual difficulty identifying the difference’

hoist by his own petard.

Posted by bryan · February 29, 2004 08:45 AM
Followups

→ Do not Edit the Evildoers.
Excerpt: Via Crooked Timber, I read this article in the New York Times, explaining that the Treasury Department has warned publishers that it is illegal to edit work by authors from nations which are banned from doing business with the U.S.Read more at Three Dog Blog
→ Wow.
Excerpt: When I complained about people bashing copy editors, I didn't have this in mind. (via Ted Barlow. Though it seems like I'm linking about ten different people today, you may notice that they're all Crooked Timber posters. CT is like...Read more at Opiniatrety
→ Editing As A Criminal Offense.
Excerpt: This story from the New York Times is baffling. It begins:Writers often grumble about the criminal things editors do to...Read more at The Curmudgeonly Clerk
→ Do not Edit the Evildoers.
Excerpt: Via Crooked Timber, I read this article in the New York Times, explaining that the Treasury Department has warned publishers that it is illegal to edit work by authors from nations which are banned from doing business with the U.S.Read more at Three Dog Blog
→ Do not Edit the Evildoers.
Excerpt: Via Crooked Timber, I read this article in the New York Times, explaining that the Treasury Department has warned publishers that it is illegal to edit work by authors from nations which are banned from doing business with the U.S.Read more at Three Dog Blog
→ Editing As A Criminal Offense.
Excerpt: This story from the New York Times is baffling. It begins:Writers often grumble about the criminal things editors do to...Read more at The Curmudgeonly Clerk

This discussion has been closed. Thanks to everyone who contributed.