Funny. Actually sad. Really embarrassing.

I watched "The Butler" few days ago. You see how the blacks were treated. It all looked funny. Actually sad. Really embarrassing.

I have a dream. To see the concept of tenure disappear. It is corruptive, illogical and worthless. It makes a young professors work like crazy and be super competitive with their colleges instead of actually collaborating with them. All of that pressure before tenure makes them tired, frustrated and at the end when they are finally tenured makes them feel entitled to the world. It causes corruption, entitlement and actually lowers the quality of science.

Why should a guy, any guy, be considered unfirable just because of what he had done 20 years ago? I understand what academic freedom is all about but I don't understand why an alcoholic, abusive and technology illiterate person cannot be fired. I don't.

The good thing is that I have the entire future in front of me but he doesn't. Because he lives in the past. In ancient past.

One time one of the people I talked to told me, "My advisor didn't know how to use email either." I don't know how a professor can possibly think that I should receive the same education he received 25 years ago. Funny. Actually sad. Really embarrassing. Not for me. I'm not a part of that rotten department any more.

Go look him up. "Marc Robert". His website has not been updated for over four years. He can't do it and he can't even conceive of doing it or asking somebody to do it for them. Funny. Actually sad. Really embarrassing.

And the people at Rice. Your actions were funny. Actually sad. Really embarrassing. You decided to be on the wrong side. No, I forgot you didn't have the balls to take a side. That's even funnier. Actually sad. Really embarrassing.

And why did I leave?

I left ...

because Dean Edwin Thomas thought it was appropriate to smash his laptop in front of me to intimidate me.
because Dean Paula Sanders was sitting there and didn't do a fucking thing about it.
because Russell Barnes said and I quote "he is an asshole and this bullshit should end" but didn't do anything about it.
because Kyriacos Zygourakis didn't answer the phone calls from Russell Barnes.
because Dana Hess didn't answer my emails regarding "hostile work environment" complaints. The words the department itself put into my mouth.
because Kyriacos Zygourakis told me "do you want to get a phd just because you complained?"

and mostly because of you two!

Assholes are everywhere. We know that and we do not expect them to do the right thing. But you are not an asshole. You just didn't have the balls to do what you would have done for your own children. You didn't fight for me. You didn't fight for anything. You are not assholes; you are just failures. You decided not to decide. You decided to teach me it is ok to be an asshole and get away with it. I will remember that. I wish you strength so that one day you have the guts to tell me you were wrong and you made a bad choice. But it is already too late. You were the only ones who could have help and didn't. You failed. I hope you are not given a second chance. I left because without you I feel stronger.