For years, the mantra on the left was “reimagining” everything from policing to free speech to defense. Reimagining often was a synonym for defunding or limiting the subject matter. Now, Georgetown Law Professor Sherally Munshi and others are attacking border enforcement as “ethically indefensible.” Munshi calls it “defamiliarizing” the whole concept of borders, which she and others in higher education now find morally reprehensible.
Munshi’s talk, “Unsettling the Border,” is an example of how radical many law faculties have become. She is by no means a standout in such theories. While schools have purged their ranks of conservative, libertarian, and dissenting faculty, there is no limit to faculty writing on the far left.
Munshi insists that “there is nothing natural or inevitable about the United States’ contemporary borders.” She mocked the whole notion of “the so-called border crisis.” Millions of unvetted people just walking over the border is not a crisis… at least not for the country. It is failure in ourselves; “a crisis of imagination.” Accordingly, she is calling for reimagining or defamiliarizing borders:
“Our task, as I put it, is to unsettle the border, to defamiliarize, disenchant, and recontextualize it by critically evaluating the historical processes, the legal developments, the discursive formations that naturalize and legitimate the border.”
It is, of course, racist to want to have secure borders:
“Rather than redress the fact that the international border regime is practically unsustainable [and] ethically indefensible, majorities in the whitest and wealthiest nations are embracing an increasingly authoritarian form of nationalism and exclusion.”
Borders, according to Professor Munshi, are just a construct “within the American imaginary, the southern border divides white from indigenous, purity from heterogeneity, civilization from savagery, settler from Indian.”
Of course, this reimagining of borders will have to extend back a tad further than the American founders. The concept of the nation-state with sovereign borders was recognized in documents like the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. It was credited with maintaining a Westphalian peace with nations able to maintain their own territory and governing systems. That, in turn, allowed nation-states to form international bodies and further stabilize global relations.
I have heard other faculty present papers along these same lines, dismissing the very concept of border enforcement as racist, privileged, or archaic. It is far more rare to hear conservatives on campuses arguing for border enforcement and deportations. It is even less common to find such advocates on both faculties.
In my book “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage,” I discuss the intolerance in higher education and surveys showing that many departments no longer have a single Republican as faculties replicate their own views and values.
The problem is not that there are radicals teaching at law schools, but that most faculties seem to run only from the left to the far left.
Perhaps it is time to . . . wait for it . . . reimagine or defamiliarize law school faculty appointments.
Our task, as I put it, is to unsettle the border, to defamiliarize, disenchant, and recontextualize it by critically evaluating the historical processes, the legal developments, the discursive formations that naturalize and legitimate the border.
That is a perfect example of putting language (lipstick) on an idea (pig). Other than William F. Buckley Jr., who talks like that? My brain has a very high tolerance for all types of language, but this immediately trips my cerebral gag reflex.
In the immortal words of Judge Chamberlain Haller: Mr. Gambini, that is a lucid, well thought-out, intelligent objection…overruled.
Sherally Munshi hates America Olly. Her legal work focuses on every possible group who have been discriminated against. Take a look at her “Immigration, Imperialism, and the Legacies of Indian Exclusion” and you’ll see what I mean. Greg
Not even William F Buckley talked like that. More the style of gibberish that we have heard from Kamala Harris.
Agreed. Buckley was highly verbose, with a tendency toward both over-intellectualizing his argument and being smarmy, but his words were nearly always used correctly and grammatically. The Munschi quote is nothing but verbal garbage spewed on a dinner plate.
Also agree. Buckley’s tone and message always came off a bit too blue blood for me. Reading his work was a far better experience. Munshi’s style is like all of these Marxist “thought leaders”. Pure trash.
Maybe we should take this law school babble to the nth degree and return to the Abraham Lincoln School of Law. Lincoln was self taught, including law and became a “lawyer”. Maybe the professor should put together a 3-4 year course for the study of law and put it all on an IPad and sell them to one and all. There should be an iPad for general law, then others for corporate law, international law, constitutional law and so on. Then set up the testing over the internet and become certified in each course over time. Gradually develope more diverse and deeper studies for advanced practice . This might spread the law to people far and wide (plus sell a lot of iPads) and raise the state of practice of law by leaps and bounds. Eventually there would be no need for law school faculties, a lot of office space could be freed up. What with the feds downsizing, and the law school office space declining, there would probably be a real crash in office space rent, thereby helping to drop the inflationary spiral in the overall economy.
Just think of it as Law without Borders.
Stupid comment.
Alright, fellow Anon, give us a better option. Knowledge should be free to those willing to learn, no? Why should it be relegated to halls of debt and gender studies?
If there is “a real crash in office space rent,” our economy would enter a depression. What prevents the owner of a large office building from walking into a bank, dropping the keys on the desk of the bank manager and saying, “It’s yours”?
If you owe the bank $1 million, the bank owns you. If you owe the bank $1 billion, you own the bank.
I never understood the draw of trump. Never. But I am slowly understanding why many people like him.
They finally found a person not only dumber than them, but he surrounds himself with stupid people. So here we are, people with sub 80 IQ levels, they can look at all the top government leaders and say “I’m smarter than them”.
Congratulations. You have elected the dumbest person to be president in the history of this country.
How does cozying up to Putin help the world?
How does raising tariffs lower prices?
Idiots.
How does throwing all of our munitions into a forever proxy war against a group that also doesn’t want war help the world? How does shunting trillions into Baghdad Sesame Street and Inclusion Groups in Vietnam, only to have that money funneled 95% through NGOs and end up back in the pockets of our elected and unelected officials help the world? That money isn’t going back into the economy, it’s solely being used to circlejerk more money into their pet projects.
um… and Biden was what exactly? And whatabout ole kamala?
Hey folks, gotta idiot over here. Take a look.
I said nothing about Biden/Harris, other than by implication they are smarter than trump. Not a hard thing to show.
But thank you anyway for proving my point. Idiots.
Question…can anybody prove that trump can read English?
# baby Trump, is it easier to engineer a car or to wreck a car?
Another day, another BabyTrump comment that still leaves unanswered the question: why does this Bolshevik Birthing Boy find the presidency of The Oval Office House Plant, Formerly Known As President Daddy-Daughter Inappropriate Incest Showers, to be better? So much better that BabyTrump wanted Bribery Biden to continue by delivering Obama’s Fourth Term?
Trump is the dumbest? Proven by Biden pointing out he graduated with TWO degrees – at the top of his class of course?
Trump “cozied up to Putin” by bombing his military incursions after Obama/Biden invited him to put Russian military in the Middle East for the first time ever? While Biden terrified Putin by first giving him The Big Red Russia Reset Button, a majority of our strategic uranium reserves – and then allowed him to invade Ukraine TWICE?
This is what the intelligentsia of the Soviet Democrat Marxist Useful Idiot Borg look like: right here, with BabyTrump willingly volunteering to be Exhibit #1.
Trump has stopped all aid to Ukraine-even though Congress appropriated the funds to provide Ukraine with the help it needs to fight off Russia. He stopped the anti-Russian cybersecurity operation, stopped the sanctions against Russia, stopped the anti-espionage unit that was monitoring Russian spies and is, once again, trying to force the G-7 to take Russia back. WHY?
“He stopped the anti-Russian cybersecurity operation”
A lie, just like so many other “news” stories related to Trump.
From “Gizmo”: “Last week, The Record reported that Donald Trump’s new Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, had made the abrupt decision to pause all of the U.S. Cyber Command’s offensive cyber operations against Russia. A sudden departure from what has long been the U.S.’s posture towards its geopolitical foe, the decision has inspired a wave of backlash from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle, many of whom don’t seem to know what to make of the decision.”
So now, Russia is free to attack our emails and other electronic platforms.
well, even the lawmakers are unsure of what to make of it, but gigi has already decided for them-that it is something negative toward the Trump administration.
No, our lawmakers know exactly what to make of it–they just don’t want the death threats from the MAGA morons for publicly saying what’s obvious. From “Gizmodo”:
“Last week, The Record reported that Donald Trump’s new Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, had made the abrupt decision to pause all of the U.S. Cyber Command’s offensive cyber operations against Russia. A sudden departure from what has long been the U.S.’s posture towards its geopolitical foe, the decision has inspired a wave of backlash from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle, many of whom don’t seem to know what to make of the decision.
Mike Turner (R-Ohio), who is the senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, seemed caught off guard when he was asked about the decision on Face the Nation on Sunday. “I’m unaware of that. I don’t believe—there are too many, I’m certain, considerations there for that to be an accurate statement so blanket,” Turner said.
“But they have ordered Cyber Command to halt cyber operations,” host Margaret Brennan countered.
Turner cut her off: “Considering what I know, what Russia is currently doing against the United States, that would I’m certain not be an accurate statement of the current status of the Unites States operations.” CNN and other outlets have since confirmed the reports with government sources, but at this point no one has gone on the record.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Florida) also seemed thrown off when he was asked about the decision on Fox News. “I’m sorry, who’s doing that?” Gimenez stammered. “I don’t know why he’s doing that,” he said. “The Russians are attacking us every single day, the Chinese are attacking us every single day; I don’t think you signal to the Russians that, hey, we’re gonna unilaterally withdraw from this space. If they can keep attacking us, and they do every single day, they should be fearful of our capacity to inflict damage on them. So I really don’t understand where that’s coming from.””
Russia is an ENEMY of the United States and to our European allies. It spies on us, both in the cyberworld and with actual spies here in our country. That’s why we monitor what they do–that is, until Trump told them to stand down. And, Trump reversed Biden’s sanctions against Russia and is lobbying, once again, to try to force the G-7 to take Russia back. Trump also took away aid to Ukraine and lied about Ukraine starting the war with Russia. Even you MAGAs should be able to see what’s going on here.
“. . . stopped the sanctions against Russia . . .”
That is a lie.
Baby Trump- you just revealed yourself when you said “I never understood” and you still don’t.
GEB,
Good one!!
# what will president Trump do with the tariff money, baby Trump? It’s a tax on foreign imports. What’s the projected sum?
You could have stopped at “I never understood.” Everything after that is indecipherable garbage. You definitely are a sub 80 IQ intellectual, as is most intellectuals inside the
Education IndustryI mean the Towers of Academia.Apparently to be a leftist intellectual one must ‘defamiliarize’ themselves with reality. It’s tougher and tougher to distinguish the ivory tower from willful sociopathy.
James,
Reality is a concept they cannot comprehend.
The Left are morally and intellectually BANKRUPT!
And the right are … what exactly? Your intellectual incisiveness trumps them?
I wish to reimagine Federal Aid and loan backing. As in ENDING IT!
No more slush funds for cities, states, non-profits, colleges
Ban Public Unions which JUST bribe Democrats, so they get over paid, retire early and DO LITTLE!
We the TAXPAYERS wish to RULE society AGAIN!
Gee, you start your own country.
What is fun is watching these so-called educated, intellects, make fools of themselves.
Yeah, got that. Better is watching fools like you blab stupidities all day long.
You tell’em, Buddy! Proud of you for speaking your mind. How was kindergarten today?
But imagine a similar (Trump, Vance and Zelensky) dialogue – but in 1940.
The Reich is furiously bombing Britain! Churchill flies to Washington for help. and Roosevelt tells him, ‘Sir, your card is dealt. ‘Make a deal with the Führer before it’s too late. ‘He’s a peace-loving man. I’ve known him a long time.’
To which Churchill replies: ‘But, Mr President, he’s bombing us! My predecessors in 1938 tried to negotiate with him, but you see what happened? He doesn’t honour any treaties on principle.’
Vice President Garne enters the conversation: ‘Churchill, your country is a mess! We and Hitler want peace, and you want war! It’s you who are incapable! You disrespect our Oval Office with your demands for support.’
Roosevelt adds: ‘Yes, Churchill, you’re playing with World War II! Make peace with Hitler immediately, and give us all the resources of your island. By the way, where’s your suit?’
To which Churchill replies: ‘I’ll wear it after the war.’
Very rich, comparing Churchill to a comedian. Maybe you should be one.
The real world isn’t pretty — ask those who wander into countries that really have no freedoms — Russia, Iran, N Korea and see how long you’d stay on the streets — getting aid. The bottom line is that the Biden-Harris admin broke the laws of our country and if they are not accountable, then who is? BTW – why pay for these ‘higher’ education tuitions when you are afraid to speak because your grades and your future are in the hands of these people. Universities that don’t preach and teach tolerance of opinions should be avoided. This is what students should protect through protest — we need open minds, creative minds to move us forward. Instead, the Left wants caged minds, controlled minds.
When the next batch crosses the border they should be sent directly to her home. She will not have a choice. She will be forced to use her living room, dining room and bedrooms to house these illegal aliens. If she needs extra beds she will be required to buy them. She will feed, clothe, pay their medical bills, make sure they are educated, and if she complains another group will be sent. This kind of crazy talk about open borders would end in 30 minutes.
I agree. Sherally Munshi should take the locks off her home’s entry doors and post a visible “Welcome! C’mon in and help yourself.”, leave the garage door open and the keys in the ignition.
Georgetown Law Professor Sherally Munshi and others of her thinking are becoming irrelevant as the majority of the people begin to understand the lies and mistakes of the left. In addition, law school graduates are learning – some for the first time – that leftwing crazies are no longer sought as DEI hires by white shoe firms. We are in the midst of a revolution from the days of excessive racial policies to a point of equilibrium that treats all races and all differences alike, the sort of world envisioned by leaders such as MLK Jr. This, by the way, is not the world of Munshi, a product of the ancien regime. Her views are not those of most Americans, including relatively high proportions of the people she claims to speak for. Borders are as essential as locks on your doors and cars for protecting one’s life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Without them, you get chaos, crime, anomie, and cultural disruptions – all of which undermine the purpose of government in the first place. Munshi’s students, I’m sure, know this.
“Our task, as I put it, is to unsettle the border, to defamiliarize, disenchant, and recontextualize it by critically evaluating the historical processes, the legal developments, the discursive formations that naturalize and legitimate the border.”
If you can untangle the meaning of that academic gibberish, then you have a decoder ring that is unavailable to mere mortals.
# I think she means –> examine how current borders were formed.
The professor is right that there is nothing natural or inevitable about borders. Ours have changed and could change again. It is therefore up to us to make sure that people who attempt to erase or alter our borders be met forcefully and consistently.
Aha.., Turls pitching for law schools to go against the market again. That’s a sure contrarian way to get temporary wins and longer, devastating losses.
As far as borders, Trump will have us in a border war with Mexico soon enough. The Chinese will proxy against us there, as will Iran, North Korea and even Russia despite Trump’s attempts to fulfill his contract with them by handing them Ukraine.
Had to pull out of my aud/usd shorts with a decent profit last night as the market believes a crypto bailout is coming, which will pull all currencies up. Eric Trump has said to buy the dips after all. Appropriate terminology for him. That bailout, much like the ag ones from trump’s first term, and the ones he’ll have to do in this term, are just camouflage. Trump hollows out markets, that’s part of his skill set.
As far as borders, Trump will have us in a border war with Mexico soon enough.
Hey! I remember you promising us EXACTLY THE SAME THING back in 2015/2016 when Trump was campaigning in his first run for the presidency! You Soviet Democrats were claiming that the first thing Trump would do was start wars all over the world, not just border wars with Mexico! You promised us Trump would crush the American economy! Massive unemployment! Business leaving the USA!
I think we can file your commie fearmongering in the drawer labeled “Democrat Things That Never Happened”.
However, don’t stop Speaking Your Democrat Truths, Tovarisch. All the way through the 2026 midterms and through the 2028 presidential election.
I didn’t start coming here until trump’s first term when it became clear Turley was shamelessly shilling for him.
Was your lobotomy painful?
“Our task, as I put it, is to unsettle the border, to defamiliarize, disenchant, and recontextualize it by critically evaluating the historical processes, the legal developments, the discursive formations that naturalize and legitimate the border.”
Pure psychobabble!
“defamiliarize, disenchant, and recontextualize” — academics learn all this new jargon, and then they have to invent crazy idea to use it in. I’d like to invite the professor to move to a small town, with a small budget, into which the US government has just unloaded thousands of illegal immigrants needing schools, medical care and housing. Let’s see how well she can recontextualize reality.
Another example of someone being paid by a law school to teach law students – but is, instead, a preacher of one’s own social, political or economic thoughts. Now .. this one whining about ethics! while resorting to a Roget’s thesaurus to impress readers or listeners. Stick to teaching the law so that students are prepared to pass a bar exam and earn a living in the “real” world.
She’s a DEI hire and she knows it, which is why she’s so angry. And the only students who take her classes are the DEI students who need to huddle in the safe cocoon of similar individuals. The serious students are taking serious classes which will prepare them to practice law. The DEI students are taking the soft courses such as hers, with the expectation that they can get DEI government attorney jobs. Sorry, those days are over. Time to buckle down and start taking actual law courses, or change your major to sociology.
What an idiot…and she is teaching that idiocy in a classroom.
Only an intellectual could be that stupid.
HullBobby,
Exactly!
Just one question to the prof; would the prof be willing to remove the walls of their home?