(This is also about Lockheed Martin Corp, only because it is a useful example.)
“The community” is doing an excellent job of educating citizens to what is going on, through letters-to-editors. Keep them rollin’ in!
Gordon Barnhart is the Acting President of the University of Saskatchewan, in the wake of the firing of Ilene Busch-Vishniac.
My email below to Barnhart is hard-hitting perhaps. I think this is NOT the time to use velvet gloves.
= = = =
From: Sandra Finley
Sent: June-03-14 10:55 AM
To: Gordon Barnhart
Cc: ‘Leonhardt, Lesley’
Subject: RE: U of S Appoints Interim Provost
Dear Interim President Barnhart,
Thank-you for the information regarding the interim appointment of Ernie Barber to the Provost’s position.
The imbroglio at the U of S today arises out of a line of failed leadership, people who do not recognize the limits to their “power”. They did not know when to say “no, this is going too far beyond the limits of democracy”. (Leadership cannot just go along to get along. Leadership must meet the moral challenge of the day, as was said by Jesse Jackson.)
I wish to be upfront. Silence does not serve well.
Fortunately, the appointment of Ernie Barber is only interim. Else, there will be continuing problems because the root goes unaddressed: appointments are going to people who do not understand leadership.
I have known Ernie Barber and have nothing personal against him. He is a “nice” man. He knows how to say “yes”, how to obey; perfect for falling in line with the “U15” (15 universities in Canada that are on a corporate agenda).
That is not what is needed. The University of Saskatchewan has been built by the people of the Province. It belongs to, and is for the purpose of serving THEIR needs. The University must have strong leadership that knows its masters. Leadership SERVES – – yes. But “who” is critical.
I have appended a specific and egregious example of Ernie’s ability to contort reality to serve the wrong (corporate) masters. It is documented in the Minutes of University Senate. I wrote about it in the fall last year, in a different but related context.
I hope it will serve to remind everyone of the need to find true leaders.
All the best to you, in your position of Interim President.
Sandra Finley
Elected Member-at-Large
U of S Senate
APPENDED:
- Lockheed Martin Corporation is worming its way into our “educational” institutions.
- The “intellectuals” become part of the enabling machinery. Look at Acting Dean of Engineering, Ernie Barber, at the University of Saskatchewan who defended Lockheed Martin’s role at successive meetings of University Senate – – he said their involvement is in “renewable technologies“.
Lockheed Martin’s own document for University collaboration reveals the lie. See Lockheed Martin at U of S. “Collaboration Topics”.
Six months later at the next meeting of University Senate, Barber repeated that LM’s role is in “renewable technologies“. Give me a break.
It is a very misleading statement. The war industry DOES have an interest in “renewable energy” – – when they invade and destroy your country it would be convenient if they didn’t have to find a source for ALL the fossil fuels they require. But, even with that said, it is NOT what Lockheed Martin’s “Collaboration Topics” at the University are about. Does Ernie think that others are inept, do not know, do not read, cannot think?
Universities are to be married to the search for truth, not part of the spin-doctoring that serves corporate masters.
The betrayal by the “intellectuals” in Nazi Germany is well-documented. Ernie Barber is only one in a long line.
- There is Harper’s dismantling of democracy.
- How about the rise and seeming acceptance of propaganda to replace informed public discussion?
- Look at Lockheed Martin – – they and the other killers (fanatics, to use the words of the email about Muslims) EXPORT the weapons they manufacture to the terrorists ($$$). They have been convicted over and over again for breaking the “arms export control ” laws. They are ARMING the other fanatics. Again, a repeat of World War Two.
- The war industries bankrupt the nation. Look at the wildly escalated debt in the U.S. – – it is currently more than $17 trillion – – a terribly de-stabilizing force in any nation. . . . What does a nation need to combat civilian unrest?
The road we are on is clear enough.
BUT HERE IS THE THING that becomes evident through A German’s view on Islam:
By looking OUTSIDE, and assigning blame (creating enemies, The Muslim Fanatics), we unwittingly BECOME the ‘silent majority’ in our own country, who SHOULD have spoken up about our own situation, but didn’t.
If people were not so busy shaking the stick and bombs at “others”, they might be able to see what is happening right here.
If democracy falls, it will be because of the blindness caused by ego. Ego wants “us” (our country, our University) to be seen as “good” . (It also diverts us to other “ego identifications” – – possessions, social status, physical appearance, family history – – with our gaze focused in the wrong direction we don’t see the invaders coming.)
We can’t even see the Corporate Force when it turns and is now directed at the soul of our own country.
So (the appended email): it is not so much a ‘silent majority’, as a majority who are blinded to what is happening in their own country, through the role of ego with its nationalistic, racial, religious, . . . identifications.
/Sandra
From: Leonhardt, Lesley Sent: June-03-14 8:13 AM To: University Senate
Subject: U of S Appoints Interim Provost
Good morning Senate members,
Please see the following message announcing Dr. Ernie Barber as interim provost.
Thank you.
Lesley
From: Office of the President Sent: Monday, June 02, 2014 2:10 PM Subject: U of S Appoints Interim Provost
To the University of Saskatchewan community,
After consultation with the board and senior leaders, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Ernie Barber has agreed to act as the university’s interim provost effective July 1, 2014.
Not only does Dr. Barber have experience in the provost’s office, as a dean and as a senior leader on campus, it was evidenced from my discussions and own experiences that he is well respected and held in high regard by many. I also believe that Dr. Barber’s skills and leadership style will be a good complement to my own and I look forward to working closely with him.
Dr. Barber will hold the position of interim provost until a permanent candidate is in place. To assist in transition from his leadership position in the Global Institute for Food Security, Dr. Barber will not be taking up the post of interim provost until July 1, 2014. During the month of June I have reassigned urgent matters usually handled by the provost to other individuals as needed. Please contact the Provost’s Office should you have questions on specific matters.
We will be sharing this news with the external community this afternoon. Please see the attached news release.
Sincerely,
Gordon Barnhart,
Interim President and Vice-Chancellor
Attachments: Media Release Announcing Interim Provost June2014.pdf
For more information, contact (306) 966-6612.
Sent to students, staff and faculty by the Office of the President.
Thank you, Sandra for that great historical review, and your enclosed letter.
It is really good to hear from someone who does understand what the real issues are, and who the real powers of misinformation are that are destroying democracy, even here in Canada.