Here’s a remarkable ad from MESA, the Middle East Studies Association. According to this ad, MESA publications will not accept advertising “from defense and intelligence related agencies from any government.” So let’s get this straight. MESA’s members request and benefit from millions of dollars in federal subsidies under Title VI of the Higher Education Act. Higher education lobbyists have no problem telling Congress that our national security needs mandate ever higher subsidies. And Congress duly appropriates this money in an effort to stem the shortage of Arabic translators and area studies experts in our defense and intelligence agencies. Yet while taking this money on the pretext that it contributes to our national security, MESA members prohibit our defense and intelligence agencies from advertising in their publications. Then they try to pretend that they’re keeping out all defense and intelligence agencies, when it’s obviously the American government they’re trying to exclude. The public is getting taken to the cleaners by these professors. It’s time to wise up and reform Title VI.